Bias in Academia

[Ben Kenobi]

Because you would have to look at how many liberals apply vs how many conservatives apply to grad school and how many were accepted. Also, Blacks to white ratio in academia are pretty lopsided too, factoring in population, would you say thats bias against blacks or is it for some other factor, I would say for some other reason. I encourage you to read this article

It's an interesting factor, however what I notice is their ratio could be as few as 6% conservative professors, compared with something on the order of 84% liberals. I agree that there are problems with the methodology of the study, what you would need to do is quantify 'conservative' thought, and make a questionnaire to distribute among the profs.

I can't believe their open faced conclusion that UC at Berkeley is not hostile to conservatives. Yes there are problems with the studies, but that is not enough evidence in itself to say that Berkeley is open and accepting of conservatives as they are of liberals. All they can say is we do not know whether or not Berkeley is hostile.

[loinburger]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Reform the hirings process to favour merit and not ideological purity.

The fact that a disproportionate number of college professors are liberal does not constitute proof that there is an ideological bias in the hiring process. Do you even have any anecdotal evidence of qualified convervative professors being denied tenure by ultra-liberal department chairs or whatever?

[Ben Kenobi]

The fact that a disproportionate number of college professors are liberal does not constitute proof that there is an ideological bias in the hiring process.

Very true, which is why I make the point of saying that liberal professors select liberal applications, rather then just relying upon the statement, hey there is a disproportionate number.

[loinburger]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Very true, which is why I make the point of saying that liberal professors select liberal applications, rather then just relying upon the statement, hey there is a disproportionate number.

Your assertion that liberal professors are biased does not constitute evidence that liberal professors are biased.

[Sava]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


' to be a conservative, requires a strong commitment to', is the same as saying, by definition, conservatives are...

Not it's not.

My reading comprehension is just fine sava. Maybe you meant something else, but that is what you wrote

Apparantly you do have a problem with reading comprehension because you totally ignored the first part of that post.

Originally posted by Sava


Educated people tend to be more liberal thinking.

meaning that SOME educated people would still be conservative thinking... however, they would be fewer in number

Reading is a skill. Just like deductive reasoning.

But you should know that I don't use you as a stereotype for all conservative people.

[The diplomat]

Academia is an environment that promotes radical thinking, and social activism which liberals are better at than conservatives. As a result, liberals are going to be more comfortable in academia than conservatives. That is why I think there are more liberals in universities than conservatives.

[Capt Dizle]

Originally posted by Japher
Those who can do
Those who can't teach
Those who can't teach apply for research grants and hire TAs
Those who can't do any of that go into management

Why do you guys insist on beating a dead horse. Give Bush a break for chrisakes.

[Sava]

Originally posted by The diplomat
Academia is an environment that promotes radical thinking

Yes, this is true.

Many times I can remember sitting in class... like say in Calculus or Biology or even Physics and the professor will all of a sudden stop talking about stuff relating to the class and start trying to get us involved in some RADICAL LIBRUL CAUSE.

"Today we are going to talk about differential equations, but first WE MUST DEFEND A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE!"

[flash9286]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


It's an interesting factor, however what I notice is their ratio could be as few as 6% conservative professors, compared with something on the order of 84% liberals. I agree that there are problems with the methodology of the study, what you would need to do is quantify 'conservative' thought, and make a questionnaire to distribute among the profs.

I can't believe their open faced conclusion that UC at Berkeley is not hostile to conservatives. Yes there are problems with the studies, but that is not enough evidence in itself to say that Berkeley is open and accepting of conservatives as they are of liberals. All they can say is we do not know whether or not Berkeley is hostile.

I agree more research needs to done to make a statement like that. I would also like if they included in the research how much they actually cared about politics, many people vote just because they think its their civic duty.

[Ben Kenobi]

Educated people tend to be more liberal thinking

As opposed to less liberal.

You'd have something like this sava,

More liberal Less liberal Less conservative More conservative.

That's what I thought you meant by the statement.

[Sava]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


As opposed to less liberal.

You'd have something like this sava,

More liberal Less liberal Less conservative More conservative.

That's what I thought you meant by the statement.

Well... when you put the "more liberal" statement together in context with everything I said in that post, you get my complete point.

See... reading comprehension.

[Ben Kenobi]

Many times I can remember sitting in class... like say in Calculus or Biology or even Physics and the professor will all of a sudden stop talking about stuff relating to the class and start trying to get us involved in some RADICAL LIBRUL CAUSE.

"Today we are going to talk about differential equations, but first WE MUST DEFEND A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE!"

True, I've been in sciences and it is generally frowned upon However, I have had history and philo profs go off on tangents not too far from this one.

The science ones have different difficulties. More with church stuff then with any 'radical liberal cause'.

[Ben Kenobi]

If that's what you meant sava, why not say this,

many conservatives have a deep commitment, etc..

[Cyclotron]

I'm still unconvinced that the widespread liberal orientation of professors indicates systematic bias. It seems that the logical course of action if conservatives want more conservative professors is to encourage young conservatives to become professors.

[Ben Kenobi]

That's an excellent point. And if you read some of the conservatives who write about this point, they come to the same conclusion. However, where they differ, is they say, why don't we set up our own stuff, rather then having to go through places like UC Berkeley and hoping to have a conservative prof come through.