Policy Exchange report finds few signs of “no platforming” on campus: university staff say they support colleagues producing controversial research despite political views https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/03/uk-lecturers-strongly-support-colleagues-academic-freedom?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Policy Exchange says the results “reveal an important reservoir of support for academic freedom among staff at British universities”

The findings come from a survey of 820 academics, of whom 41% were retired with an average age of 70 and may not have even worked in UK universities

Despite that the report calls for the government to impose a new free speech regulator on higher education, because of a handful of cases such as a student group rescinding a speaking invitation to Amber Rudd

The survey included trolling questions, eg: “If a staff member in your institution did research showing that the British empire did more good than harm, would you support or oppose efforts by students to let the staff member know that they should find work elsewhere?”

One question asked if respondents agreed with a string of statements:
“Convicted paedophiles should be publicly whipped” and “If a known Leave supporter applied for a job at my workplace, I would try to avoid hiring them”

By all means read the report - it will reassure anyone who fears the intellectual barriers to entry into British academia are too high https://policyexchange.org.uk/publication/academic-freedom-in-the-uk-2/

Luckily @jdportes has already read it so you don’t have to... https://twitter.com/jdportes/status/1290060308195635201?s=21 https://twitter.com/jdportes/status/1290060308195635201