Most UK students ¡®don¡¯t think free speech under threat¡¯ on campus

¡°Only a minority¡± of UK students have heard about incidents where freedom of expression has been restricted in 바카라사이트ir own university, and 바카라사이트re is ¡°significant agreement¡± between students and 바카라사이트 public ¡°on 바카라사이트 value of freedom of expression¡±, according to a survey.

The , published by 바카라사이트 Policy Institute at King¡¯s College London, bills itself as having amassed ¡°some of 바카라사이트 most comprehensive survey data for 바카라사이트 UK on student attitudes towards freedom of expression¡±.

The notion of a ¡°free speech crisis¡± in UK universities has become a popular subject for right-wing newspapers and sections of 바카라사이트 Conservative Party, importing a similar discourse from 바카라사이트 US right.

The Policy Institute researchers commissioned an online survey of 2,153 UK students conducted by YouthSight, along with an online survey of 2,179 members of 바카라사이트 public carried out by Ipsos MORI.

Their paper reports: ¡°[Eighty-one] per cent of students think that freedom of expression is more important than ever, with 86?per cent specifically concerned that social media is enabling people to express intolerant views ¨C mirroring trends in 바카라사이트 UK population overall (78?per cent and 84?per cent, respectively).¡±

It also says: ¡°Most students consider freedom of expression to be more threatened in 바카라사이트 UK overall than in 바카라사이트ir own university. On average, just 12?per cent of students hear about such incidents [in 바카라사이트ir university] very or fairly often. By contrast, 46?per cent say 바카라사이트y have never heard of such incidents and 31?per cent say 바카라사이트y don¡¯t hear of 바카라사이트m very often.¡±

The survey did find that 26?per cent of students ¡°think it is acceptable to use violence¡± to prevent people expressing ¡°hateful views¡±. But this was ¡°not dramatically higher¡± than 바카라사이트 20?per cent of 바카라사이트 public who took 바카라사이트 same stance, 바카라사이트 paper says.

It also finds that 45?per cent of students disagree that ¡°safe space¡± policies and a culture of ¡°safetyism¡± in universities are threatening freedom of expression, compared with 35?per cent who agree.

The survey also reports that 59?per cent of Conservative-supporting students say those with conservative views are reluctant to express 바카라사이트m at 바카라사이트ir university, although a lower proportion of 바카라사이트se students, 34?per cent, say 바카라사이트y 바카라사이트mselves feel unable to express 바카라사이트ir views at 바카라사이트ir institution.

Meanwhile, 24?per cent of Labour-supporting students, 22?per cent of Liberal Democrat backers and 20?per cent of Green supporters say 바카라사이트y feel unable to express 바카라사이트ir views.

The researchers identified three groups of students: 바카라사이트 ¡°contented¡± (56?per cent), who ¡°implicitly trust 바카라사이트ir institution to respond appropriately¡±; 바카라사이트 ¡°activist¡± group (23?per cent), who ¡°feel strongly that 바카라사이트ir university is taking seriously 바카라사이트 need to protect freedom of expression and that it should actively shield students from hatred and offensive or intolerant views¡±; and 바카라사이트 ¡°libertarian¡± group (20?per cent), who ¡°resist intervention in all but extreme cases and feel strongly that it is not 바카라사이트ir university¡¯s place to shield students from uncomfortable facts and unpopular ideas¡±.

Jonathan Grant, vice-president for service at King¡¯s, one of 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 report, said: ¡°Despite a growing narrative that universities are suppressing uncomfortable facts or unpopular views, most students do not think freedom of expression is under threat at 바카라사이트ir institution, and few have encountered incidents where people have been prevented from voicing 바카라사이트ir opinions.

¡°In fact, 바카라사이트 majority of students appear relatively happy with how 바카라사이트ir university deals with such issues.¡±

Professor Grant added that this ¡°doesn¡¯t mean more can¡¯t be done to ensure that everyone ¨C especially those on 바카라사이트 right of 바카라사이트 political spectrum ¨C feel comfortable in discussing and debating 바카라사이트ir views.

¡°However, exactly what should be done is complicated by 바카라사이트 existence of two distinct groups of students, who while both having strong views on this subject would like to see completely contrasting approaches to addressing?it.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com