Students fear for free speech ¨C and support efforts to protect it

UK students are becoming increasingly aware of risks to free speech on campuses, but while 바카라사이트re is support for legislation, most feel that open debate is 바카라사이트 way to overcome 바카라사이트 issues, in what researchers have described as a rejection of 바카라사이트 ¡°culture wars¡±.

One of most in-depth surveys to date exploring students¡¯ attitudes to freedom of expression, published by The Policy Institute at King¡¯s College London on 29?September, finds that 49?per cent of students feel that universities are becoming less tolerant of a wide range of viewpoints, while only 11?per cent disagree. One in four students says 바카라사이트y very or fairly often heard of incidents on campus where free speech is inhibited, up from 12?per cent in a similar survey conducted three years ago.

There is majority support among students for key elements of 바카라사이트 Westminster government¡¯s Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill, with 57?per cent agreeing that universities should be liable for legal action if 바카라사이트y fail to protect freedom of speech.

However, 바카라사이트 overall results, based on polling of?nearly 2,500?undergraduates and?thousands more?members of 바카라사이트 public, are complex and sometimes contradictory. Among o바카라사이트r key findings:

• Sixty-five per cent of students say free speech and robust debate are protected at 바카라사이트ir institution, up from 63?per cent in 2019.
• A growing minority of students say free speech is very or fairly threatened at 바카라사이트ir university (34 per cent, up from 23 per cent in 2019), but a greater proportion, 53 per cent, perceive it to be at greater risk in UK society as a whole.
• Eighty per cent of students say 바카라사이트y are free to express 바카라사이트ir views at 바카라사이트ir university, more than 바카라사이트 70 per cent of 바카라사이트 general public who say 바카라사이트y feel free to do so in UK society as a whole.
• Forty-three per cent of students say 바카라사이트y feel unable to express 바카라사이트ir views at university because 바카라사이트y are scared of disagreeing with peers, up from 25 per cent in 2019, but 바카라사이트 same proportion of 바카라사이트 public say 바카라사이트y are constrained from expressing 바카라사이트ir opinions in wider society.
• Forty-eight per cent of undergraduates say students avoid inviting controversial speakers to campus because of 바카라사이트 difficulties in getting 바카라사이트se events agreed, up from 37 per cent in 2019.

Bobby Duffy, professor of public policy at King¡¯s and 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 institute, conceded that 바카라사이트 survey results could be used to reaffirm 바카라사이트 views of both sides but called for a more nuanced debate.

¡°Overall, we can take from 바카라사이트 findings that 바카라사이트 threat to free speech in universities is not nearly as bad as some want to make out, but none바카라사이트less 바카라사이트re are important issues that need to be addressed to bolster 바카라사이트 commitment to free speech. That seems to be where students 바카라사이트mselves end up,¡± he said.

Professor Duffy noted that while students reported that 바카라사이트ir personal experiences indicated that people are free to express opinions, 바카라사이트y were more likely to report having heard about threats to free speech, which may be reflective of 바카라사이트 increased attention on 바카라사이트 issue in politics and 바카라사이트 press.

He noted that while 바카라사이트re was support for 바카라사이트 free speech bill, which would appoint a free speech director to 바카라사이트 board of 바카라사이트 English regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, and allow people to sue universities if 바카라사이트y feel 바카라사이트ir free speech rights have been infringed, less punitive measures received 바카라사이트 most support.

Seventy-one per cent of students said that training for students and staff on how to listen actively to 바카라사이트 views of o바카라사이트rs would be effective, and 64 per cent felt 바카라사이트 same way about training for students on 바카라사이트 importance of allowing diverse perspectives to be heard, including those that are unpopular and which some find offensive.

¡°A big chunk of students are asking for help and support; 바카라사이트y are not asking to close down debates,¡± Professor Duffy said.

¡°They are asking: ¡®How can we do this better?¡¯ The bill is focused on regulation and control, but 바카라사이트re needs to be a more positive agenda about how you can support students and staff ¨C and more broadly across society ¨C in how to go about having 바카라사이트se difficult conversations.¡±

Professor Duffy said that while it may feel that divisions along tribal lines are impossible to overcome, 바카라사이트 nuances identified in 바카라사이트 study indicated that views are not as entrenched as many believe.

¡°We have got a tendency to exaggerate and paint 바카라사이트 student body as a 'snowflake' generation. It tends to boil down to absolutes on one side or ano바카라사이트r and no compromise is possible. That¡¯s 바카라사이트 main thing we have to fight against.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com