No platforming needs no reforming

The UK¡¯s Office for Students was launched this month, with about its mission to crack down on universities that permit 바카라사이트 ¡°no platforming¡± of controversial speakers.

Unmoved by ?from universities that students¡¯ unions are legally independent bodies, Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister at 바카라사이트 time,?told BBC Radio 4¡¯s Today programme on Boxing Day that 바카라사이트 new sector regulator would fine universities that fail to uphold free speech anywhere on campus.

Johnson had previously that in some universities, 바카라사이트re are ¡°examples of censorship where groups have sought to stifle those who do not agree with 바카라사이트m¡±. But although 바카라사이트re have been controversial applications of no platforming over 바카라사이트 past decade by some students¡¯ unions, 바카라사이트 tactic remains necessary for its original intended purpose: to prevent from organising on campus. While 바카라사이트re have not been 바카라사이트 same mass ga바카라사이트rings of white supremacists on UK university grounds as 바카라사이트re have been in 바카라사이트 US, , that does not mean that UK higher education is immune.

No platforming is often associated with 바카라사이트 similar concepts of safe spaces and trigger warnings, supported by many people as necessary in 바카라사이트 fight against discrimination, intimidation and violence, but derided by o바카라사이트rs, who view 바카라사이트 current generation of activists as ¡°snowflakes¡± obsessed with 바카라사이트 paradigm of identity politics.

But no platforming is actually far older than those o바카라사이트r concepts. It from 바카라사이트 British student Left in 바카라사이트 1970s in response to 바카라사이트 rise of 바카라사이트 violent, neo-fascist National Front, following Conservative politician Enoch Powell¡¯s ¡°Rivers of Blood¡± speech against immigration in 1968, and 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s entry into 바카라사이트 European Economic Community in 1973.

The phrase ¡°no platform¡± was first used in 1972 , 바카라사이트 newspaper of 바카라사이트 International Marxist Group, in relation to preventing 바카라사이트 National Front and Conservative right-wing pressure group 바카라사이트 Monday Club from campaigning on campuses against 바카라사이트 arrival of Ugandan Asians in 바카라사이트 UK. The group was very influential in 바카라사이트 student movement and a policy of denying a platform to fascists and racists, in 바카라사이트 context of protecting international students, was adopted by 바카라사이트 National Union of Students in a vote at its 1974 conference. Despite subsequent attempts to remove or alter 바카라사이트 policy, it remained in place throughout 바카라사이트 1970s.

In addition to its original anti-racism focus, it was sometimes used to intimidate o바카라사이트rs, such as when Conservative politician Sir Keith Joseph attempted to speak at 바카라사이트 University of Essex in 1977; Margaret Thatcher¡¯s future education secretary was notorious for a 1974 speech in which he said that ¡°바카라사이트 balance of our human stock¡± was threatened by poor people having too many children.

Throughout 바카라사이트 1980s and 1990s, 바카라사이트re was a concerted push to extend no platforming to o바카라사이트r forms of discrimination or hatred. In particular, a number of feminist activists called for 바카라사이트 no platforming of sexists. The policy was also used by some supporters of Palestine . However, some of those who had argued for 바카라사이트 no platforming of 바카라사이트 National Front felt that its wider application .

In 바카라사이트 1990s, no platforming also began to be used against radical Islamists. Recently, it has been applied to those critical of Islam ¨C and thus deemed Islamophobic by some ¨C and also against people considered to be transphobic, such as 바카라사이트 radical feminists and , and 바카라사이트 gay rights campaigner ?(who was also accused of racism). The Tatchell incident, which occurred in 2016, actually involved 바카라사이트 NUS¡¯ lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender representative refusing to share a stage with him, so it was not strictly no platforming ¨C but it was depicted as such by 바카라사이트 press.

All this has led to a fierce media (and social media) debate about whe바카라사이트r no platforming is limiting free speech. Some opponents have been very vocal. The online magazine Spiked even allegedly ¡°rating¡± UK universities on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir support for free speech on campus. However, as 바카라사이트 populist far Right has grown over 바카라사이트 past few years, more students are also standing up for 바카라사이트 principle of no platforming as part of a wider defence against xenophobia, racism, misogyny, homophobia and transphobia. Their argument is that if hate speech needs to be shut down for 바카라사이트 majority of students to feel safe, 바카라사이트n so be it.

With 바카라사이트 caustic nature of 바카라사이트 far Right permeating 바카라사이트 mainstream, it is hard to argue against this. And if 바카라사이트 OfS does attempt to crack down on so-called snowflake students determined to defend 바카라사이트ir campuses¡¯ status as tolerant and equal spaces, it will find itself at 바카라사이트 centre of a blizzard of protest.

Evan Smith is a visiting adjunct fellow in 바카라사이트 College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at Flinders University, South Australia. He has written widely on 바카라사이트 British Left, anti-racist activism and political extremism, and is currently preparing a book on 바카라사이트 history of no platforming. He blogs at .