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The Forum > Article Comments > Universities more concerned about brand reputation than freedom > Comments

Universities more concerned about brand reputation than freedom : Comments

By Gregory Melleuish, published 19/12/2018

It is not unknown for fractious individuals on campus to exploit the opaque nature of the rules and to institute vexatious proceedings against those with whom they disagree.

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This might be a silly question. But I think going to the details of the matter is just as important if not more important then recognizing the over arching behaviors of an issue.

Therefore here is the question. What are examples of academic controversy that is being neglected or pushed aside?

I'm not saying there aren't topics and controversies avoided or pushed from giving a fair trial, but recognizing which ones are examples of avoided topics might help pin the point down.

Here would be one example a controvical topic that might be worth pushing aside. I once had a class on sociology with a specific focus on deviant behavior. The teacher commited to the study of other populations and exploring the cases that were outside the norm. It was a fascinating class but the teacher admited she in the past recommended for extra going to a meeting of a group that was considered a cult (through a list from a government policing agency). She said that looking back that was a dangerous idea that could have put the students in danger do to being willing to see the topic of cults in action.

Outside of exploring things that put students at risk, I agree with the article. If a topic is rejected at an academic level before being willing to hear it out then it's no longer a true sense of free thought and academic freedom.

On the other hand, is that freedom worth protecting? Should a university instill a foundation to grow from for students, and therefore hold certain positions as an aced emit body? Or should the role of universities be about exploring the topics regardless of if it's helpful to students, or if they really are "dangerous ideas" that would harm a student by exploring. Simular to how exploring certian drugs leads to unhealthy addictions and health risks?

(Continued)
Posted by Not_Now.Soon, Thursday, 20 December 2018 4:40:21 AM
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(Continued)

Sorry for the tangent. But hopefully it clears the point. In the world of arguments and ideas, there can be some wild but rational sounding arguments that are over arching arguments battle each other out without examples to pin them down and test if they are rational or irrational arguments.

Thus the silly question. What are some good examples of academic controversy that is being avoided?
Posted by Not_Now.Soon, Thursday, 20 December 2018 4:41:22 AM
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I have a feeling this has existed since the beginning of education.
Posted by esperence, Saturday, 22 December 2018 3:22:01 AM
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Gregory Melleuish- Kudos for standing up for "dialogue over dogma" (free speech over political correctness). This is probably the founding principle of western thought brought about by Socrates and others- also probably the founding principle of Universities- a clarion call to reason.

Political Correctness is a tool of Communism.

I see the different cultures thoughout the world as a great experimental incubator compared with the dogma of communism/ socialism. It reminds me of Raphael Sanzio's painting the school of athens where Plato points at the sky (theoretical dogma) and Aristotle points at the earth (experimentation).

Not "multiculturalism" but "many cultures".
Posted by Canem Malum, Tuesday, 25 December 2018 12:31:55 PM
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After having witnessed many news footage's of our 'superior' 'worlds best practices' in education, perform like the Zombies depicted in films.
The only difference is within their rage infested rhetoric, unlike the Zombies, we can understand what they're saying, otherwise their actions and demeanor are those of Zombies.
For me it highlights a very serious point, and that is that uni students are still too immature or mentally incapable of rational reasoning and should be thought of as children, and not taken seriously.
It appears obvious, by their own actions that they are incapable of processing the information taught at uni.
The mind of a child, is not yet exposed to the 'real' world and is therefore lacking 'all' the information to make a fully informed decision.
This is unfortunately also true of most adults.
In short, discipline has become a thing of the past, along with, respect, of any kind.
We have been 'pissing' in our children's ears for so long, I must make a correction, girl's, that they have become too 'cocky' for their own good.
The guys haven't changed much through time, we know we go from being little kids to being big kids.
The guys will say anything a female will tell him because he wants to have his way with her, and he knows he has to conform, or else, NO!
So when I see these scenes of protestors on telly, it's nearly always females.
Their opinions are worthless until they can demonstrate a level of maturity and life's experience.
Until then, I for one will treat females with the contempt they have shown others and the teachers and lecturers are to blame, as well as those namby pamby parents who kept telling their little 'princesses' that they can be and do 'anything they want'.
What a load of BS!
Posted by ALTRAV, Wednesday, 26 December 2018 12:14:07 PM
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