We need affirmative action for conservatives!
New Study May Underestimate Left-Wing Preponderance in Academia:
A new UCLA study finds that 56% of academics consider themselves to be "liberal" (47%) or "far left" (9%), compared to only 16% who say they are "conservative" (15.2%) or "far right" (0.7%). This result is consistent with numerous previous surveys showing that academics are overwhelmingly left of center.
The new survey may actually underestimate the degree of left-wing dominance. In the UCLA study, 28% of respondents say that they are "middle of the road." However, earlier research suggests that self-described academic "moderates" are likely to be well to the left of moderates in the general population. They may be in "moderate" relative to their fellow academics, but liberal relative to the general population. Second, the UCLA study probably understates the proportion of academics who are on the extreme left, as opposed to mainstream liberals...
Ideological imbalance in academia isn't objectionable in and of itself. However, it does tend to influence research agendas and the content of classroom instruction, and is therefore worrisome for those reasons.
Education, politics, and anything else that catches my attention.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Leaning So Far Left, The University Falls Over
This should surprise no one:
Is there an Understatement of the Year award we can give these rocket scientists?
ReplyDeleteOf course they are moderates, if you move the center to the left. That's why they simply do not understand the angst of conventional conservatism.
ReplyDeleteThe question I have is whether they consider themselves moderates based on their political positions relative to those around them or whether they consider themselves moderates as a conceit, i.e. "moderate" sounds more thoughtful, nuanced then not-moderate?
ReplyDeleteWhat are the statistics for people who are educated to a higher level being "liberal"?
ReplyDelete