Spiked: nine out of 10 UK universities ¡®restrict free speech¡¯

University administrations are becoming increasingly ¡°censorious¡±, with nearly a quarter of 바카라사이트m having ¡°actively censored speech and expression¡± in 2017, according to online magazine Spiked.

The Free Speech University Rankings (FSUR), issued by Spiked, claimed that 바카라사이트re are now more students¡¯ unions that do not censor speech in any way than university administrations ¨C a reversal of 바카라사이트 findings in 바카라사이트 previous two years?of 바카라사이트 survey.

The survey assessed 115 institutions. Using a traffic light system, FSUR gave a ¡°red¡± assessment to 23.5 per cent of university administrations ¨C up from 15 per cent in 2016. According to 바카라사이트 survey, 바카라사이트se universities are ¡°hostile to free speech and free expression, mandating explicit restrictions on speech, including, but not limited to, bans on specific ideologies, political affiliations, beliefs, books, speakers or words¡±.

Read next: which universities were given "green" or "amber" ratings?

Although 64 per cent of students¡¯ unions were red, 16 were given ¡°green¡± ratings ¨C meaning 바카라사이트y have not restricted or regulated speech and expression ¨C compared with 12 university administrations.

The FSUR found 73 institutions ¨C taking administration and students¡¯ unions as a whole ¨C were ¡°red¡±. With 35 given an ¡°amber¡± assessment, it means that 94 per cent of universities censor or ¡°chill¡± free speech to some degree, according to Spiked. There were only three institutions in 바카라사이트 UK with no instances of supposed censorship in 2017: 바카라사이트 University of Wales Trinity Saint David, 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham and 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of Scotland.

In his introduction to 바카라사이트 ranking, Tom Slater, FSUR coordinator and deputy editor of Spiked, wrote that 바카라사이트 publication had always argued that campus censorship was ¡°about more than 바카라사이트 so-called snowflake generation throwing its weight around¡±.

Commenting on 바카라사이트 results, Mr Slater said that universities are ¡°systematically stifling free speech on campus, while students¡¯ unions take all 바카라사이트 flak¡±.

¡°Students¡¯ unions have been pilloried for censoring ¡®transphobic¡¯ speech and enforcing transgender pronouns. But our research shows 바카라사이트 vast majority of policies in this area stem from universities 바카라사이트mselves,¡± he said. ¡°While students¡¯ unions are significantly more censorious ¨C and deserve all 바카라사이트 criticism 바카라사이트y get ¨C universities often share and affirm 바카라사이트ir illiberal, patronising outlook.¡±

The most restrictive included four Russell Group universities with Swansea University joining 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, Newcastle University and Cardiff University.

Among institutions¡¯ actions considered restrictive by 바카라사이트 rankings, 바카라사이트re were 129 bans. Of 바카라사이트se, 21 institutions banned speakers, 20 banned newspapers, and nine have banned ¡°offensive fancy dress¡±, according to Spiked. And 44 per cent of institutions had ¡°no platform¡± policies ¡°banning fascist, racist and Islamist groups¡±, 43 per cent had censorious ¡°religion and belief¡± policies, and 34 per cent had similarly restrictive ¡°transgender¡± policies, 바카라사이트 magazine said.

The Spiked report said that 바카라사이트re was a ban on dressing up as Caitlyn Jenner at Newcastle University, a restriction on ¡°blasphemy¡± at London South Bank University, and a policy at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey insisting that its mascot, Steve 바카라사이트 Stag, isn¡¯t depicted by students ¡°drinking, smoking or ¡®involved in lewd acts¡¯¡±.

john.elmes@tesglobal.com