Summarised by Centrist
In “Universities or indoctrination centres?”academics John Raine, David Lillis and Peter Schwerdtfeger question whether the modern university will remain a place of higher learning and research “where diverse views may be discussed on any matter”.
Or will they be transformed into “ethno-institutions” where “modern world science is diminished through promotion of ‘other ways of knowing’”?
The writers are concerned that:
“Government now proposes to favour Māori research and researchers over others.”
The researchers support excellent Māori research, but not “lightweight research of limited reach”, This is because, amongst other reasons, a loss of neutrality in favour of social justice activism and an unclear definition of what Tiriti o Waitangi-led actually means.
The writers observe several worrying trends in academia, including an acceleration of “Treatyism” in universities and censure.