| I think I am starting to understand where mini and I are diverging on opinion, though. I am talking conservative in the sense of social control (more than economics) and academic freedom (from government control more than institutional control).
And to some extent I will agree that a lot of American academia has a very narrow perspective. But that is not because of a central controlling authority (although some would argue at university administrations through their hiring and tenure review practices do this). At least this culture through its elected government doesn't directly try to control (by rule - money is another issue) the nature of research. Can't be said of much of the world.
And while mini has found plenty of people of interesting perspective in his travels, those data points don't necessarily indicate that the system they work in is more liberal (in the personal liberties arena) than ours. Nor does it imply the overriding university culture (tenor of the student population, etc.) is more liberal than ours. The fact that we have the least restrictive expression controls here will frustrate the fringe elements who seem to live to poke at authority (and thereby building their reputations). It is far easier in other cultures to cause a stir and attract the attention of the authorities.
Yeah, there may be more marxists (if you call that the far left) in other parts of the world, but I think that is more because it is the forbidden fruit (considered akin to revolutionary thought). Marxist thought here is generally ignored these days here in academia - at least in comparison to decades past.
Point here is that there are lots of definitions of liberal and conservative. I think we are starting work around differences of definition. |