Objectivity scepticism is loosening universities’ grasp of their purpose

On the other hand, the claim of scholarship masquerading as political activism has always been a way to undermine research findings. This is why civil society is being closed down in authoritarian states (Russia, China, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, etc etc) across the world. Its why universities are under attack from populists worldwide (and in the UK), and why historically books have always been burnt. I appreciate the attempt at balance in this piece, but you can also see how superficial is the balance that pits scholarship against power.

I have worked in social sciences area for years. Marxists, feminists, gender activits, trans activists, have all existed for as long. I disagree with them, but have never felt pressured by them to teacha certain way, or think a certain, or pursue research in a specific manner. The University management bosses though? Oh yes. The activists are not pushing a political agenda to reduce education to a measure of employment. They are not the system cutting access, loans, and making redundancies or shutting entire courses or departments - even when they have plenty of students. The balance this article strives for seems to equate wishful thinking with neo-liberal actions of the past four decades. Let us pursue the research we want, ask the questions we want, we happen to be pretty smart people you know. We know the cost AND the value of things. Unlike some.