tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27946614.post2810079463558747809..comments2024-03-07T14:43:21.888-08:00Comments on Whatever I want to write about: The endangered conservative professors on American campusesSriram Khéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06907731254833435446noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27946614.post-8356599931508125382016-05-08T22:10:10.032-07:002016-05-08T22:10:10.032-07:00"Business" should never be an undergradu..."Business" should never be an undergraduate degree option and, therefore, a teaching university like mine shouldn't even have a Business department. But, that is an intellectual fight that I will fight another day ;)<br /><br />Bias has always been there in academia. And, of course, there were plenty of academics even in the decades past who considered the "other" views as utterly wrong and a waste of time. But, it definitely feels like that trend has worsened. <br /><br />I suspect that the gullible students are easily drawn to the theatrical and the bombastic, like how the unthinking masses are lining up for Trump. Among the thinking students, the ideological ones seek out their like-minded faculty. Which then makes one wonder what happens to the conservative students, right? One of my favorite moments was from a few years ago. In one class, a few weeks into the term, during discussions one female student qualified her comment by identifying herself as a Republican. And then said something like "I will never out myself as a Republican in most classes though." To which a male student immediately jumped in with how he also stays quiet about his politics. And then a third student joined in. It turned out that a half of the class was GOP people--understandable given the split in the real world too ... <br /><br />Sriram Khéhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06724218458246880137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27946614.post-81396926440831572752016-05-08T21:46:16.783-07:002016-05-08T21:46:16.783-07:00Well said, Ramesh.
When my mother was a PhD can...Well said, Ramesh. <br /><br />When my mother was a PhD candidate in philosophy, she had wonderful conversations with her colleagues because she was the only person who was not an atheist. I wouldn't have dared to have a political discussion with my advisor. Her opinions were so opposite mine, and she had control of my grades. There were a handful of professors with whom I might have had such conversations, but I didn't pay much attention to life beyond class.<br /><br />I'm curious how the students respond to bias from the professors. Are there teachers who are preferred by conservative students or avoided by liberal students because of the professor's known politics? That would limit the broader education of the students.Anne in Salemnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27946614.post-3791342962651274342016-05-08T07:17:59.672-07:002016-05-08T07:17:59.672-07:00Yes, historically campuses have been way way left ...Yes, historically campuses have been way way left of centre. Not sure why ? Do you have a business school ? Are they also feeling the Bern ??<br /><br />You are absolutely right. There should be no bias in campuses. Students ought to be exposed to the entire spectrum of beliefs and helped to think, debate and form their own opinions. Rameshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11782192840421019943noreply@blogger.com