![]() There is a danger that universities appoint mainly people who look and think like us. Search our database of more than 7,000 global university jobs This is why the increasing focus on diversity is so important, not only in terms of gender, ethnicity and culture, but also – maybe above all – in terms of opinions. This is a tradition that universities should still cherish. It is why I am so happy with colleagues who throw themselves not only into scholarly debates, but also into public and political controversies. That doesn’t mean that there are no limits. Clearly, we are bound by the laws against inciting hatred. Equally, we are bound by academic integrity, which outlaws plagiarism or fabrication. And, of course, ensuring the physical safety of students and staff is a key obligation for every university.īut, for the rest, I say let the lightning strike. This commitment to diversity of opinion also applies to those whom we, including our students, invite to speak or write. The University of California, Berkeley made global headlines when it was accused of attempting to bar politically incorrect speakers. #I cannot get into the echo chamber strike free#īut as its dean of law, Erwin Chemerinsky, argues in a co-authored 2017 book, Free Speech on Campus, the university has to be the forum “for the new, the provocative, the disturbing, and the unorthodox”. We should not let solidarity, community feeling, politeness or mutual respect – important as these are – take precedence over freedom of expression. ![]()
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