Last week was a big week for free speech and academic freedom controversies, with Oxford professor Selina Todd no-platformed from an International Women’s Day conference at Exeter College, Oxford, then Amber Rudd told she could no longer speak at a UN Women Society event on women in politics at the same university. The backlash has been severe, with the government apparently planning to bring forward legislation to enforce freedom of speech on campus.
The image promoted in much of the media, and circulating on social media, is that all academics are ban-happy authoritarians who need a firm slap from government. That is very far from the case. UCU for Academic Freedom is a campaign by academics themselves to put UCU onto the right side of this debate. And there is a growing pushback from other pro-free-speech academics, which is compelling some university managers to uphold fundamental freedoms. Below, we reproduce an open letter signed by scholars at the University of Kent, where some of those ban-happy authoritarians have been trying to no-platform Selina Todd – without success. The university administration has, rightly, rejected calls to cancel her lecture, while other academics are rallying around Prof Todd and the local organisers in the English department.
As staff working at a University presently subject to a dispute about “no platform”, we would suggest it is actually very important not to underestimate the problem of attacks on free speech, as they emerge from within the campus. Where we work, an upcoming invited lecture by the historian Selina Todd has been subject to ongoing efforts to prevent it going ahead. The University’s leadership has decided, in line with the University’s free speech policies, that the invitation to her should not be rescinded; however, an Open Letter opposing this has since been circulated condemning the decision, is attracting support, and is calling for the University to, “recognise that transphobic speech is hate speech that puts members of our trans and non-binary community at further risk”. There is a very real difference of opinion that has to be resolved, somehow.
We work across disciplines at the University of Kent but are united in support of the leadership’s decision to take the free speech policy seriously and uphold the invitation. Todd is coming to speak about her latest book, about the playwright Shelagh Delaney, but clearly the situation that now prevails is one where her being able to do so cannot be assumed but rather has to be argued for, including by us. In our view, the idea she should not be permitted to do so because of her views on the distinction between sex and gender is regressive. It constitutes an argument that she, and by extension anyone who shares her views, should be prevented from taking part in academic life, is an attack on the value of toleration that forms the cornerstone of academic freedom, but this now has to be actively restated. As many have now noted it is also quite wrong to pathologise Todd’s views as “phobic” and suggest they are “hateful” or place others “at risk”. They are not, but what is contrary to the values of a University is the implication that research agendas based on the recognition of the significance of sex discrimination for example in labour markets and in a raft of issues in developing world countries are not worthwhile.
Given the certainty that episodes like this will continue, we hope the leadership at other Universities will grasp the importance of what is now at stake, take a leaf out of Kent’s book, and uphold academic freedom robustly and at any given opportunity.
Yours Sincerely,
Ellie Lee, Professor of Family and Parenting Research, SSPSSR, University of Kent
Cathy Waters, Professor of English, School of English, University of Kent
Dr Bashir Abu-Manneh, Reader in Post-Colonial Literature, School of English, University of Kent
Linus Peitz, Associate Lecturer, School of Psychology, University of Kent
David Williams, Professor of Developmental Psychology and Head of School of Psychology, University of Kent
Dr Miguel Alexiades, Senior Lecturer in Anthropology, University of Kent
Dr Amanda Gosling, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Kent
Dr Ian Bride, Senior Lecturer in Biodiversity Management, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent
Dr Sian Lewis-Anthony, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Kent
Dr Gianluca Marcelli, Lecturer in Engineering, School of Engineering and Digital Arts, University of Kent, University of Kent
Dr Gill Draper, Associate Lecturer, School of History, University of Kent
Michelle McCarthy, Professor in Learning Disabilities, Tizard Centre, SSPSSR, University of Kent
Janet Montefiore, Professor Emerita of 20thCentury English Literature, School of English, University of Kent
D Matthew Watkins, Educational Support Assistant, University of Kent
Dr Jim Butcher, Reader, School of Sports Sciences, Tourism, Hospitality and Events, Canterbury Christ Church University
Murray Smith, Professor of Film, School of Arts, University of Kent
Dr Philip Cunliffe, Senior Lecturer in International Conflict, School of Politics,
University of Kent
Matthew Goodwin, Professor of Politics and International Relations, School of Politics, University of Kent
Dr Jennie Bristow, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Canterbury Christ Church University
Jane Wood, Professor of Forensic Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Kent
Dr Simon Cottee, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of Kent
Dr Jan Macvarish, Visiting Research Fellow, SSPSSR, University of Kent
Larry Ray, Professor of Sociology, SSPSSR, University of Kent
Dr Luke Buchanan-Hodgman, Lecturer in Economics, Department of Economics, University of Kent
Grace Shore Banks, Recruitment and Marketing Co-ordinator, School of Economics, University of Kent
Dr Kristof Dhont, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Kent
Alina Salmen, Associate Lecturer, School of Psychology, University of Kent
Aino Petterson, Associate Lecturer, School of Psychology, University of Kent
Aimilia Kalitsounaki, Associate Lecturer, School of Psychology, University of Kent
Jesse O’Hanley, Professor of Environmental Systems Management, Kent Business School, University of Kent
Dr Adelina Gschwandtner, Lecturer in Economics, School of Economics, University of Kent
Dr Jim Ang, Senior Lecturer in Multimedia and Digital Systems, School of Engineering and Digital Arts, University of Kent
Dr Philippos Assimakopoulos, Lecturer in Electronic Systems, School of Engineering and Digital Arts, University of Kent
Chima Rickards, PhD student, School of Economics, University of Kent
Chrissie Rogers, Professor of Sociology, Director of Tizard Centre, SSPSSR, University of Kent
Dr Magali-Fleur Barnoux, Lecturer in Forensic Psychology and Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Tizard Centre, SSPSSR, University of Kent
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