Liberal bias within academia has long stoked debate. High proportions of researchers have liberal political views, studies finding that liberals outnumber conservatives by a ratio of 5:1. According to the dominance hypothesis, this entails bias, liberals being less attentive to weaknesses in their own arguments and more attentive to weaknesses in conservative arguments. This debate exhibits signs of saturation, participants exchanging well-worn arguments and often arguing past one another; new arguments are necessary. In this essay, I will try and move beyond established positions, offering perspectives from institutional theory.
Pithy analysis - keep up the good work! Attenuated Lib influence - perhaps a more palatable formulation than ‘bias’ for some sensitive souls- is A Thing. It has been pervasive for so long that it’s become imperceptible to the fish that swim in that tank and weakened their powers of persuasion and analysis. I was reminded of that this past week as us Yanks have come to grips with the SCOTUS leak. I support abortion rights fully, but was surprised to learn that many European nations have long had restrictions that exceeded our norm over the last 5 decades. Apparently that info was never deemed relevant by our lib-dominated MSM. Then again, having been born into a conservative family, it is absolutely true that such folk have historically discouraged interest in the arts, humanities and social sciences among their youth. Know all about that, and not too surprised that our culture wars have been waged along lines drawn before voting age.
Does liberal bias affect academia? Advancing a deadlocked debate
Pithy analysis - keep up the good work! Attenuated Lib influence - perhaps a more palatable formulation than ‘bias’ for some sensitive souls- is A Thing. It has been pervasive for so long that it’s become imperceptible to the fish that swim in that tank and weakened their powers of persuasion and analysis. I was reminded of that this past week as us Yanks have come to grips with the SCOTUS leak. I support abortion rights fully, but was surprised to learn that many European nations have long had restrictions that exceeded our norm over the last 5 decades. Apparently that info was never deemed relevant by our lib-dominated MSM. Then again, having been born into a conservative family, it is absolutely true that such folk have historically discouraged interest in the arts, humanities and social sciences among their youth. Know all about that, and not too surprised that our culture wars have been waged along lines drawn before voting age.