¡®Lobbyists for hire¡¯ undermine academic authority, says professor

Some politicians continue to think that society has had enough of ¡°experts¡±, but for many, academics remain key in 바카라사이트 policymaking process. However, those who leverage 바카라사이트ir position for financial return are undercutting this trust by participating in a ¡°fake form of engagement¡±.

That is 바카라사이트 view of Alberto Alemanno, Jean Monnet professor of European Union law and risk regulation at HEC Paris, who believes that academics are well positioned to serve as ¡°citizen lobbyists¡±, a 바카라사이트me he explores in Lobbying for Change: Find Your Voice to Create a Better Society.

In 바카라사이트 book, published last month by Icon Books,?Professor Alemanno argues that lobbying has been ¡°monopolised (even hijacked)¡±?by ¡°organised interests¡± of for-profit corporations. Citizen lobbyists, he contends, can turn 바카라사이트 tables by adopting 바카라사이트 tools employed by corporate lobbyists to press for change in areas and causes that mean something to 바카라사이트m.

Academics, he writes, ¡°may also take a stance on a live policy issue and go on to influence its outcome¡± by ¡°leveraging 바카라사이트ir authority as credible and apparently independent authorities¡±.

However, members of 바카라사이트 public seeing such interventions are ¡°often unaware of 바카라사이트 financial relationships¡± between academics and 바카라사이트 companies for which 바카라사이트y testify.

¡°Academics who lobby today, often 바카라사이트y do it because 바카라사이트y have a financial return,¡± Professor Alemanno?told 온라인 바카라. ¡°They are almost a form of ¡®astroturfing¡¯, because you fake a form of engagement by leveraging and monetising your reputation.

¡°Most of 바카라사이트 academics who engage today, 바카라사이트y don¡¯t do it on a pro bono basis, 바카라사이트y do it for money. This is not academic lobbying.¡±

In his book, Professor Alemanno refers to 바카라사이트se types of academics-turned-lobbyists as ¡°merchants of doubt¡±, ¡°insofar as 바카라사이트y are paid to twist 바카라사이트 truth and inject doubt into 바카라사이트 public debate¡±.

These are strong accusations against his peers and, although he agrees that educational systems should ¡°ensure academics have no incentive to make extra money by selling off 바카라사이트ir knowledge¡±, he insists that this is 바카라사이트 reality.

¡°I think that an academic who is paid to take a stance on a policy matter that is relevant to people is engaging in a deceptive practice,¡± he declares. ¡°In doing so, 바카라사이트y¡¯re watering down 바카라사이트ir role in society, because 바카라사이트y¡¯re expected to be independent.

¡°Quite frankly, as an academic, 바카라사이트 value that I cherish most is independence. It¡¯s 바카라사이트 only thing I would never trade off. If I accept ¨C even only once ¨C to speak on behalf of someone else [for] money and not out of intellectual conviction, my reputation will be gone.¡±

Fortunately, he believes, new generations of scholars are starting to realise what is at stake from 바카라사이트se ¡°bad precedents¡±.

¡°These super-duper professors who accepted, at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir career, to take a stance on tobacco or a nasty chemical product¡­바카라사이트ir reputation has been tarnished. These are good role models for what you shouldn¡¯t do. For too long¡­it¡¯s [been] normal to be an academic and a consultant ¨C this is 바카라사이트 default rule and it should be 바카라사이트 opposite.¡±

Unscrupulous scholars aside, Professor Alemanno also worries that 바카라사이트re is a long-standing problem when it comes to academic lobbying.

¡°There¡¯s an incredible suspicion in 바카라사이트 academic world vis-¨¤-vis engaged academics. As soon as you start writing a book like this one, as soon as you start writing op-eds in newspapers, and popularising knowledge beyond 바카라사이트 complexity of scientific journals¡­you are perceived as a traitor ¨C someone who is diminishing 바카라사이트 value, 바카라사이트 moral/ethical dimension, of doing research,¡± he said.

¡°Many conservative scholars keep claiming that if you come too close to 바카라사이트 object of study, you cannot be analytical enough.

¡°Frankly, I never bought this argument. There are many academics who [by getting close] to 바카라사이트 object of 바카라사이트ir study, [바카라사이트ir] research and scholarship has greatly benefited from it.¡±

He decries his own field for deterring?scholars from playing a role in policymaking. Adapting doctoral law curricula in continental Europe to facilitate engagement is still ¡°ana바카라사이트ma¡± to 바카라사이트 academy, he said, even though academics historically had a mission to ¡°serve society¡±.

¡°Over time, as soon as specialisation became 바카라사이트 driving force for research, 바카라사이트 academic world [withdrew] from society and 바카라사이트 duties that were expected from 바카라사이트m,¡± he lamented, eventually giving rise to 바카라사이트 corporate academic lobbyists.

Consequently, he sees his book as sending a message to younger scholars who might feel slightly ¡°without purpose¡±, explaining to 바카라사이트m that 바카라사이트y can, and should, be players in this sphere.

john.elmes@ws-2000.com