Saturday, August 18

Tenure or Political Opinions? - the strange battleground in the USA

A note was sent to me with this link and was entitled, what do you think?

All I had to say is that I am thankfully not in that position. But I feel sorry for the good professor's students who will only get one side of the story. It is also tragic that there is an assumption in the USA that the Israeli side is all powerful. Between these two extremes, the student and society are getting pummeled. The teachers are supposed to present a balanced view of life and love to their students.

Now I realise that this situation is more appropriate in the arts area, but would you really go to a political science class where only one side is taught? or would you go to a English literature class where only American literature is taught and england English American literature is not taught? or would you go to a history of music class where only pop music is taught while Handel is ignored?

Curiously, in the USA, academics are a bit lopsided and the arena of debate, see here for a different view. In fact, I saw the comments on the Angry Arab Blog quite funny, the very mention of Edward Said sends me into chuckles. That is one series of impenetrable pap. Also, there is a strange series comments with quote warfare.

Perhaps that's why the people who come out of the science backgrounds do not have this kind of issue. And perhaps this is why one wonders as to what's the real benefit of going to study political science, government, etc.? Talking heads anyone? I wonder if the good professor realises that he is as guilty of bias as that of his accusers? :) now that's irony, lol.

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