Young, Gifted And Conservative Must Step Into Void

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday October 22, 2008

Nigel Freitas raises a valid concern that there is a lack of conservative thinking in academia ("Academic freedom: exit, far left", October 21). However, he unfairly targets left-leaning academics as the cause.

There will be a greater representation of conservative academics only when the Young Liberals and other conservative thinkers on campus start to view academia as a worthwhile pursuit. The reason they do not is not due to a few over-zealous professors refusing to listen to their point of view, but their predisposition to the more vocational degrees on offer, such as law and business.

University is more than a springboard to a lucrative career. It is a place of higher learning, of exploring ideas and challenging viewpoints.

It is up to young conservatives to embrace academia, not the other way around.

Scott Nichols Singapore

It was my experience as an honours student at the University of Sydney that you could believe, argue or say anything you wanted in your work, as long as it was substantiated by vigorous research and analysis. Indeed, I got higher marks when I argued against the opinions of my lecturers. Often those who complain about getting marked down because of political bias are simply inept, not victims of discrimination.

Poppy Bourne Lane Cove

The bias described by Nigel Freitas does not surprise me. Many decades ago I lectured in political studies. Years later, after pursuing other work, I decided to study for a diploma of education. I was shocked by the bias and slackness of many lecturers.

I sat through explanations that Bob Hawke and all to the right of him were fascists, the working class were gentle compared with the aggressive middle class, and that teaching grammar disadvantaged the working class. They thought they were influenced by Marx, but had not read him.

When I expressed my horror to my much younger fellow students, they laughed and said, "Don't you realise that when they give a load of biased material to read they want a biased answer?"

Good students give the answers required and save their revenge for another day.

Richard Cox Griffith

Nigel Freitas wants us to believe left-wing intellectuals are stifling debate and brainwashing students into being mindless drones of socialist dogma. To back up these claims he offers a smattering of anecdotes and evidence from a different country.

I wish to counter with my own anecdote. Having just finished my undergraduate degree, I found the exact opposite to the scenario Mr Freitas suggests.

At my institution at all times I was encouraged to form my own opinions and engage critically with the course material. Academics did make their viewpoints known, but only so that we could take this into account in appraising their material.

I have worked closely with some of the academics on the Young Liberals' so-called blacklist, and found them to be respectful of intellectual difference and committed to critical debate.

If Mr Freitas is going to make blanket claims about higher education he should at least back it up with some substantive evidence.

William Courcier Camperdown

Nigel Freitas objects that a course on tourism considers gender, class, race, imperialism and sexuality. What in his view constitutes proper content for a tertiary course on such a subject? Travel itineraries and hotel star ratings?

Carmen Jarrett Leichhardt

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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