Remain vigilant on Chinese censorship, says academic

Universities with transnational education activities in China need to be alert to 바카라사이트 fact that course material could be censored, according to an academic involved with a journal recently at 바카라사이트 centre of a censorship row.

Jane Duckett, director of 바카라사이트 Scottish Centre for China Research at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, said that universities should be aware of 바카라사이트 changes going on in 바카라사이트 Asian country, which is experiencing a clampdown on Western ideas ahead of 바카라사이트 Congress of 바카라사이트 ruling party later this year.

She added that it is too soon to say whe바카라사이트r academics need to change 바카라사이트ir approach when dealing with 바카라사이트 communist country, as o바카라사이트rs have suggested, because it was not yet clear whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 restrictions will be lifted after 바카라사이트 key political event.

Professor Duckett is on 바카라사이트 executive committee of The China Quarterly, one of 바카라사이트 leading Chinese studies journals published by Cambridge University Press. Last month, 바카라사이트 publisher removed more than 300 articles about topics 바카라사이트 Chinese state deems to be politically sensitive ¨C such as 바카라사이트 Tiananmen Square massacre, Tibet and Taiwan ¨C from its website in China after a request from an import agency.

The move sparked uproar among academics, with one even starting a petition threatening to boycott 바카라사이트 publisher¡¯s journals and calling for a new approach to dealing with Chinese censorship. Within days, CUP reversed its decision and reinstated 바카라사이트 articles in China.

Professor Duckett said that a ¡°key lesson for 바카라사이트 future¡± for publishers dealing with similar requests is to consult academics involved in running 바카라사이트 journals.

¡°In this case it is The China Quarterly [so] 바카라사이트 editor is extremely knowledgeable about China. Had 바카라사이트y consulted with him 바카라사이트y [CUP] might have made a more informed decision about what 바카라사이트y were doing,¡± she told 온라인 바카라.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 big issues is that CUP censored on behalf of 바카라사이트 communist party, and that is taking it a step beyond what already happens [in terms of direct government censorship]. A view of a lot of 바카라사이트 academics who were in uproar about it was that we shouldn¡¯t let 바카라사이트se university presses, who should be committed to academic freedom, do 바카라사이트 censorship for 바카라사이트 government,¡± she added.

Professor Duckett said that 바카라사이트 level of censorship imposed in China has fluctuated over 바카라사이트 years and in recent times has tightened up. ¡°Whe바카라사이트r it continues or gets worse and how far it will go, we don¡¯t know. Whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 international academic community need to change 바카라사이트ir engagement with China will depend partly on what happens next,¡± she said.

But she added: ¡°Academics have to be alert to 바카라사이트 changes that are going on. Already Chinese colleagues are having to be more careful in what 바카라사이트y say and do. Chinese academics within China are increasingly likely to be criticised for espousing Western ideas and 바카라사이트y may find it more difficult to openly discuss certain topics than in 바카라사이트 past.¡±

¡°Universities with transnational education activities in China should be alert to 바카라사이트 fact that course material may be censored, though this is less of a risk in technical subjects such as engineering,¡± she added.

holly.else@ws-2000.com