A serious threat to academic freedom in France
JVL Introduction
Some 100 French academics expressed their agreement when French Minister of Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, declared that ‘indigenist, racialist, and “decolonial” ideologies,’ imported from North America, were responsible for ‘conditioning’ the violent extremism behind Samuel Paty’s assassination.
This is highly dangerous ground, heralding the launch of a McCarthyist process to be led by the French Ministry for Higher Education, Research and Innovation to weed out the wrong kind of thinking.
The authors of this open letter see this as “part of a global trend in which racism is protected as freedom of speech, while to express antiracist views is regarded as a violation of it”.
It is a perverse and ahistorical vision, in which critical research and teaching in the interests of learning from past injustices is portrayed as engaging in ‘anti-white racism’.
This article was originally published by openDemocracy on Thu 5 Nov 2020. Read the original here.
Open Letter: the threat of academic authoritarianism – international solidarity with antiracist academics in France
A critical response to the Manifesto signed by over 100 French academics and published in the newspaper Le Monde on 2 November 2020, after the assassination of the school teacher, Samuel Paty.
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It is ironic that “‘indigenist, racialist, and “decolonial” ideologies,’ imported from North America” may have got their initial impetus from ideas imported from France. See “French Theory” by Francois Cusset.
Who can doubt that ‘indigenist’. – apparently a badge of shame – will be applied to those who insist that the indigenous Palestinian population should have been and still needs protected from the Zionist invaders?
Fortunately the Tories are pretty sluggish in adopting new ideas but sooner or later Cummings’ minions will wake Williamson up and stiffen his resolve to turn English education into capitalist-imperialist propaganda.
In passing, have you noticed that Evans is threatening LP members with a charge of antisemitism if we criticise the EHRC report (his circular letter to party officers/)
Jean-Michel Blanquer, France’s education minister, has said that Western multiculturalism does not do enough to protect democracy, as his country doubles down in its defence of secular values over Islamism.
He said, “I think there are people who don’t want to understand him because they see the principles of democracy as their enemy. This is a war against democracy that is being waged, not against Emmanuel Macron.”
Under a landmark 1905 law on the separation of church and state, laïcité guarantees freedom of belief and thought, while banning any outward signs of religion from state schools, including headscarves.
“The secular model of the French Republic is best-suited to face the challenges of the 21st century, namely to live together with our differences in peace. We don’t believe in the model of communautarisme (a French conception that translates loosely as multiculturalism). We don’t think it has proved its worth in American society today, nor has it proved itself to be particularly peaceful,” he said.
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau last week appeared to criticise France’s stance on freedom of expression: “In a pluralistic, diverse and respectful society like ours, we must be aware of the impact of our words, of our actions on others, particularly these communities and populations who still experience enormous discrimination.”
Mr Blanquer riposted by saying: “If you follow the logic that you mustn’t displease anyone, you end up saying nothing.”
“Those who say so support models that result in a loss of freedom, split society into silos, and turn communities in on themselves, while our model is one of freedom that allows religions to flourish but while respecting others.”
President Macron had singled out ‘Islamist separatism’ that had led to 263 deaths in the past five years in France. “I will not allow anybody to claim that France, or its government, is fostering racism against Muslims,” said Mr Macron in a Financial Times op-ed.
“France — we are attacked for this — is as secular for Muslims as for Christians, Jews, Buddhists and all believers. The neutrality of the state, which never intervenes in religious affairs, is a guarantee of freedom of worship. Our law enforcement forces protect mosques, churches and synagogues alike.”
“We oppose deception, fanaticism, violent extremism. Not a religion,” he added.
Reply to RH: Williamson has already done what you say, as the statement here points out and I think it has been mentioned in other articles on the JVL web site.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-your-relationships-sex-and-health-curriculum
It is very interesting to see the institutions who are missing from the list of signatories to this letter. Not much representation from Russell Group or Ivy League…
I presume this letter has been translated into French and other European languages., and distributed to relevant newspapers, broadcasters, etc.
For a measure of the hypocrisy of the French Govt’s position, look no further than the treatment of allegedly antisemitic cartoons. Yes, there is grounds for censure of offensive material whenever it appears. This not a free speech issue.