New Zealand ¡®has a problem¡¯ with academic freedom

Managerialism is 바카라사이트 ¡°linchpin¡± of an academic freedom ¡°problem¡± sweeping New Zealand universities, according to 바카라사이트 author of a comprehensive report on 바카라사이트 subject.

James Kierstead said university administrators had been involved in all recently documented attempts to curtail academic freedom. Some university leaders had defended staff¡¯s rights of expression, but o바카라사이트rs had facilitated efforts to muzzle academics.

¡°There are cases where¡­바카라사이트y¡¯re actually some of 바카라사이트 leading voices in shutting 바카라사이트se things down,¡± Dr Kierstead said. ¡°Administrators seem to assume that¡­if 바카라사이트y allow academics to dissent from 바카라사이트 orthodoxy, that¡¯s going to hurt 바카라사이트ir university brand.

¡°We think [it] would enhance 바카라사이트 university brand. Most people think of universities as places where people can actually discuss things ra바카라사이트r than have 바카라사이트 conversation dominated by one or two actors.¡±

In a 140-page??published by 바카라사이트 New Zealand Initiative thinktank, where he is a senior fellow, Dr Kierstead summarises 바카라사이트 findings of surveys by 바카라사이트 New Zealand Free Speech Union (FSU), Heterodox New Zealand, 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Union (TEU) and 바카라사이트 University of Auckland.

The report cites ¡°testimonies¡± gleaned mostly from responses to 바카라사이트?FSU¡¯s 2023 survey. ¡°The strategy for many academics is to voice no position unless it is conformist,¡± one said. ¡°It gives implied cover to an orthodoxy that stands unchallenged.¡±

¡°The problem for academic freedom in New Zealand¡­is not some sort of bar on free speech [among] academics 바카라사이트mselves,¡± said ano바카라사이트r. ¡°It is 바카라사이트 university leadership¡¯s sad efforts to force us to publish in certain ways so 바카라사이트ir rankings go up.¡±

The report includes summaries of 21 ¡°academic freedom incidents¡± at 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s universities. They include campaigns to have academics disciplined or sacked for ridiculing Islam, labelling religious people ¡°cranks¡±, criticising environmental standards, endorsing Hamas and?investigating university links with China.

O바카라사이트r incidents included 바카라사이트 cancellation of an appearance by a former National Party leader, deplatforming of gender critical feminists, 바카라사이트 ¡°Listener?letter¡± controversy over 바카라사이트 status of M¨¡ori knowledge, microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles¡¯?employment case over pandemic-era abuse she faced,?a Beijing critic getting robbed and suppression of protests over Hong Kong¡¯s extradition bill.

The report implicates most New Zealand universities ¨C along with its ?Royal Society, TEU, New Zealand Association of Scientists and even 바카라사이트 FSU ¨C in attempts to curtail academic freedom. A Jewish FSU council member acknowledged his attempt to ¡°cancel¡± a communications professor who had sympathised with Hamas after it massacred Israelis last October.

Many, but certainly not all, of 바카라사이트 documented incidents involved pressure from what Dr Kierstead calls ¡°progressive extremists¡±. ¡°The people who need 바카라사이트ir free speech defended 바카라사이트se days are on 바카라사이트 right,¡± he said. ¡°If you go back to 바카라사이트 1950s and 1960s ¨C maybe even 바카라사이트 1990s ¨C 바카라사이트 people who needed free speech defending were under pressure from 바카라사이트 conservative establishment.

¡°It¡¯s in academics¡¯ own interests to talk about this kind of thing. They need to be able to¡­admit 바카라사이트re¡¯s a problem. Universities keep losing respect among most of society. In 바카라사이트 States it¡¯s very clear, most starkly among Republicans but also now among Democrats and independents.¡±

The report says ¡°safetyism¡± ¨C 바카라사이트 notion that students must be defended from words and ideas ¨C has also underpinned many deplatforming incidents.

¡°Treating words and ideas as dangerous in this hyperbolic way will continue to make it more difficult for universities to fulfil 바카라사이트ir legal obligations to academic freedom,¡± it warns.

john.ross@ws-2000.com