{"id":140720,"date":"2022-05-27T14:18:17","date_gmt":"2022-05-27T12:18:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=140720"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:18","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:18","slug":"dijkgraaf-about-woke-there-must-be-room-for-confrontations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2022\/05\/27\/dijkgraaf-about-woke-there-must-be-room-for-confrontations\/","title":{"rendered":"Dijkgraaf about \u2018woke\u2019: there must be room for confrontations"},"content":{"rendered":"

VVD member of parliament Hatte van der Woude was asking the Minister of Education questions relating to an article about \u2018wokeism\u2019 in the Telegraaf<\/a>. In that article, associate professor at Utrecht university Floris van den Berg talked about students demanding that he revise his literature list because they claimed it included too many white male authors. He should also include more \u2018non-academic and non-western perspectives\u2019.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Robbert Dijkgraaf, minister of Education, Culture and Science<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMartijn Beekman\/Rijksoverheid<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Difficult conversations<\/h2>

Isn\u2019t such a situation at odds with the duty of universities to safeguard academic freedom, the VVD member of parliament wanted to know. The Minister\u2019s response was clear: \u2018No\u2019. In higher education, he feels there must be room<\/a> for \u2018confrontations, debate and difficult conversations\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich means that students and lecturers must be able to discuss issues, but that a rebuttal may also follow. This critical function lies in the nature of academic education,\u201d he writes<\/a>. Universities are \u201crobust organisations which can deal with this,\u201d he feels.<\/p>\n

Walking on eggshells<\/h2>

Van der Woude also says that it is \u2018very worrying\u2019 that lecturers do not feel free to express themselves due to the woke movement and wonders what the Minister will do to better protect academic freedom. But Dijkgraaf refers to the boards of the educational institutions. It is their duty to protect academic freedom.<\/p>\n

He also feels that it is concerning if lecturers no longer feel able to express themselves, for example because they feel intimidated or threatened. \u201cBut if lecturers find it difficult to be confronted by assertive students with criticism, that still does not constitute a limitation of academic freedom,\u201d he adds. He feels it is also unacceptable if lecturers \u2018are constantly walking on eggshells\u2019.<\/p>\n

It can be difficult for board members to identify specific situations in which academic freedom is at risk, the Minister admits. He wants to talk to the umbrella associations at the universities and universities of applied sciences about how they can manage that area of tension.<\/p>\n\n\t

\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Read more<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t