Below, J. Unsworth, a DDU supporter and former student of History and English Literature, explains why she found an event at Cambridge University on Winston Churchill left much to be desired. The level of debate among learned academics shows, once again, that ‘the divisiveness and tribalism that emerges now again in different periods and different […]
Free Speech and English Working-Class Identity
In this honest and moving account, Bradley Strotten at The Equiano Project, and ambassador for the newly formed Free Speech Champions, reflects on his working-class background, his relationship with his father and writes: Furthermore, unlike my younger self, I do not think that the expression of national pride, a sense of belonging, and concern over […]
Prejudice Under The Microscope: The Implicit Association Test (Part II)
The latest report from the team at Minding the Campus from part of the White Fragility Symposium, provides a forensic account of the flaws in concepts central to the ‘white fragility’ assertion: Supporters of the ‘unconscious racism’ thesis essentially argue that negative associations held by whites about non-whites, as revealed by the race IAT: (a) […]
Universities Should Exercise Healthy Scepticism Towards The Universities UK Report
Two DDU supporters argue why many universities are wrong to uncritically embrace the Universities UK Report, ‘Tackling Racial Harassment in Higher Education’
The University and the Social Justice Movement: A French Perspective
Michel Tavernier at Areo wonders why French universities, home of intellectuals closely associated with postmodernism, seem immune from the excesses of postmodernism’s political expression that beleaguers universities in the Anglophone world: Tuition fees, which are the product of freewheeling neoliberal economics, have spiralled out of control in the Anglophone world in general and in the […]
Tackling Racism In Higher Ed
In November 2020, UUK issued a set of radical recommendations in its report “Tackling Racial Harassment in Higher Education”, in response to alleged endemic racism in British universities. Don’t Divide Us supporters in academia respond. Read more
UUK: ‘Tackling Racial Harassment in Higher Education’ — A Response from Don’t Divide Us
As a group of DDU supporters who work in academia, we feel compelled to draw attention to the potential problems of the Universities UK report. We contacted Universities UK (UUK) with a request for information about their methodology, including sample surveys used, in order to get a fuller picture. These were not made available. In […]
Cambridge Dons Win Free Speech Row, Defeat New ‘Authoritarian’ Rules
Camilla Turner at The Telegraph interviewed Dr Arif Ahmed, a philosophy lecturer who spearheaded a campaign at Cambridge University to amend a proposed free speech policy. The policy would have prioritised respect for different groups and opinions over a commitment to tolerance of free speech. Had the proposal passed unamended, it could have fostered division, […]
A Public Inquiry Without The Public? (Part I)
DDU supporter, Montmorency Sharp, reports back from attending the first of a series of inquiries held by the Oriel College Commission of Inquiry whose stated aim is to investigate the question of what should happen to the statue of Cecil Rhodes and the memorial plaque with an open mind. Alas it turned out to be […]
A Frenchman in Rural England
In his reflections on life as a French academic working in a British university, and living in a rural English village, Alain Wolfe finds more openness and tolerance in his village than his workplace. A refreshing counter-narrative to much received opinion that that sees academics as the enlightened ones and others as bastions of intolerance: […]