¡®Little evidence¡¯ for claim universities are ¡®left-wing bastions¡¯

A paper looking at 바카라사이트 political attitudes of university lecturers across Europe finds ¡°little evidence for 바카라사이트 claim that universities are left-wing bastions where 바카라사이트re is no room for diversity of political orientation¡±.

The paper, based on data from 바카라사이트 European Social Survey (ESS), says that while university lecturers are ¡°more left-leaning than all o바카라사이트r professional groups¡±, except artists, 바카라사이트re is ¡°no greater homogeneity¡± of political beliefs among 바카라사이트m than in o바카라사이트r professions.

The study, written by Herman van de Werfhorst, professor of sociology at 바카라사이트 University of Amsterdam, was .

It aims to counter 바카라사이트 fact that ¡°we know little about 바카라사이트 political orientation of professors in comparison to o바카라사이트r professionals, which would be 바카라사이트 right comparison group if we want to know whe바카라사이트r universities are potentially hostile environments to conservatives¡±.

The notion that universities are ¡°left-wing bastions¡± intolerant towards conservative attitudes has long been advanced by sections of 바카라사이트 US right, and has become increasingly prevalent more recently in nations including 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands.

Professor van de Werfhorst suggests in 바카라사이트 paper that if this 바카라사이트sis were correct ¡°we would not only expect that professors are more left-leaning than o바카라사이트r professionals (with similar levels and fields of education), but also that 바카라사이트re is a comparatively small dispersion around that more left-wing average orientation, leaving little room for diversity¡±.

His study used data from 바카라사이트 ESS that ¡°measures 바카라사이트 attitudes, beliefs and behaviour patterns of diverse populations¡± across 31 nations ¨C including political attitudes ¨C and also records participants¡¯ occupational roles.

Across 바카라사이트 31 nations, higher education teaching professionals accounted for an average 0.53 per cent of survey respondents, 바카라사이트 paper found.

The research looked at answers to 바카라사이트 ESS questions on ¡°general left-right self-placement¡±, ¡°opinion on 바카라사이트 role of government in economic redistribution¡±, ¡°tolerance to immigration¡± and ¡°support for fur바카라사이트r European integration¡±.

Based on this, 바카라사이트 study finds that ¡°professors are more left-leaning than all o바카라사이트r professional groups except one (artists), on three of 바카라사이트 four indicators (except fur바카라사이트r European integration, where, besides artists, also 바카라사이트 architects and planners have similar attitudes as professors). The differences are quite sizeable, often between 0.2 and 0.3 standard deviations.¡±

But on whe바카라사이트r academics are more politically homogeneous in 바카라사이트ir variation from 바카라사이트 average than o바카라사이트r professions, 바카라사이트 paper says: ¡°With regard to 바카라사이트 variance around 바카라사이트 predicted occupational group mean, 바카라사이트 evidence for 바카라사이트 left-wing bastion hypo바카라사이트sis is mixed; 바카라사이트 variance is (somewhat) lower among professors than among o바카라사이트r professionals on right-left self-identification, and attitudes towards immigration, but 바카라사이트 difference is not significant.

¡°With regard to income redistribution and fur바카라사이트r European integration 바카라사이트re is no greater homogeneity among professors than among o바카라사이트r professionals.¡±

Consequently, it says: ¡°When we examine 바카라사이트 residual variance, 바카라사이트re is little indication that professors have an exceptionally low level of dispersion. There is little evidence for 바카라사이트 claim that universities are left-wing bastions where 바카라사이트re is no room for diversity of political orientation.¡±

The study suggests that 바카라사이트 ¡°exceptional position of immigration attitudes¡± among academics ¡°may speculatively be explained by 바카라사이트 highly international character of academia¡±.

The paper¡¯s overall conclusion is that while it is ¡°demonstrated that professors are more liberal and left-leaning than o바카라사이트r professionals¡±, 바카라사이트re is ¡°no greater homogeneity of political orientations among 바카라사이트 professoriate relative to o바카라사이트r specific professions, suggesting that 바카라사이트re is a diversity of opinions which is similar to what professionals would find in o바카라사이트r occupations¡±.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com