This morning the University of Wollongong announced they will accept the John Howard-led Ramsay Centre's money to run a degree in 'Western Civilisation'.
Here's why that's bad:
#auspol
Here's why that's bad:
#auspol
As a former academic, I can unequivocally say that allowing any organisation to control curriculum, let alone one as shady as this centre, is a huge mistake. UoW should not even have begun talks with the Ramsay Centre.
There are already multiple schools at UoW studying Western Civilisation, so what do the Ramsay Centre really want? They want control. And they want to churn out students with an unquestioning view of what they believe Western Civilisation is. That is their agenda.
John Howard and his conservative pals want students to have a nationalistic and uncritical view of Western civilisation with all the imperialism and colonialism airbrushed out. This is deeply offensive. We must push back hard against this idea cultural supremacy.
We must stand up proudly for academic freedom. That means standing against the Ramsay Centre and it's terrible ideology.
It's not too late for the University of Wollongong to do the right thing and reject the money.
It's not too late for the University of Wollongong to do the right thing and reject the money.
