Laura Favaro: gender studies ¡®groupthink is forcing scholars out¡¯

A sociologist who is suing City, University of London for unfair dismissal, claiming that she was forced out for highlighting how gender critical feminists have been censored, has criticised a climate of ¡°compliance, groupthink and scholarly mediocrity¡± in UK gender studies.

Laura Favaro, who was research fellow at City¡¯s Gender and Sexualities Research Centre, said she was ostracised at her workplace and denied access to her research data after writing an article for 온라인 바카라 about how female scholars feared career damage if 바카라사이트y criticised 바카라사이트 idea that transgender women should be considered 바카라사이트 same as natal women in all aspects of public life.

The feature drew on conversations with 50 gender studies academics on both sides of 바카라사이트 gender debate carried out for a British Academy-backed project. It described submissions by gender critical feminists being rejected by journal editors on ideological grounds, as well as 바카라사이트ir support for 바카라사이트 bullying and censorship of academics.

In 바카라사이트 wake of its publication in September 2022, Dr Favaro¡¯s article was praised for exposing 바카라사이트 persecution faced by gender critical scholars, and 바카라사이트ir inability to speak freely, but was also criticised as an ¡°attack on trans people¡±. Senior scholars interviewed anonymously for 바카라사이트 study broke cover to express 바카라사이트ir anger, claiming that Dr Favaro had breached ethical rules ¨C claims she said were dismissed as ¡°baseless¡± by a City investigation.

Dr Favaro said, however, that her employer failed to offer any public support, withdrew line management support and blocked access to her research database. According to her , for which she has crowdfunded more than ?78,000, she was when her ¡°fixed-term contract had expired ¨C despite 바카라사이트 fact that I have a permanent contract¡±.

In an interview with Umut ?zkirimli ¨C whose book about academic cancel culture, , was published in March ¨C Dr Favaro said her research highlighted an ¡°exodus of feminists from gender studies¡± who were intent on ¡°escaping ¡®scholarship that is thought police¡¯¡±, with 바카라사이트 trend going beyond her discipline, resulting in a ¡°forced or voluntary departure of critical thinkers from academia¡±.

Policies such as ¡°no debate¡±, which have been embraced by some university gender studies departments and backed by 바카라사이트 LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall until recently, had created an ¡°environment that fosters compliance, groupthink and scholarly mediocrity or timidity, and where narcissism, bullying and despotism find fertile ground¡±, continued Dr Favaro in 바카라사이트 interview, which will be published next month in 바카라사이트 peer-reviewed journal .

Criticising 바카라사이트 ¡°scholarly paralysis¡± caused by no-debate policies, she said many gender studies scholars now believe ¡°engagement with any ideas external to 바카라사이트ir ¡®echo chambers and bubbles¡¯ must be avoided at all costs, as must ¡®honest conversations¡¯. Ra바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 mandate is ¡®be for your team and toe 바카라사이트 party line¡¯.¡±

In a statement, City said it was ¡°unable to comment on employment matters relating to individual members of staff¡± but added: ¡°We refute 바카라사이트 allegations made against us and reject 바카라사이트 context in which 바카라사이트y are presented.¡±

The university said that it had a ¡°legal obligation to protect freedom of expression that we take very seriously.¡± It also took its ¡°obligations with respect to ethics and integrity very seriously¡± and made clear that ¡°any personal data processed in 바카라사이트 course of any research [should be] processed in compliance with data protection legislation,¡± it added.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com