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Zara461 · Joined: 17 Nov 2012 Posts: 58 Location: 007-Kingdom

DUBAI, Feb 23, (RTRS): A top British university has cancelled a conference on the Arab Spring in the United Arab Emirates, citing curbs imposed by the Gulf state, which has placed limits on foreign research groups in the past two years.
The UAE, a major oil exporter and regional business hub, has not seen the unrest that has ousted autocratic Arab rulers elsewhere, but analysts and diplomats say the US ally is anxious to prevent instability spreading to its turf.
In a statement emailed to Reuters, the London School of Economics (LSE) said it cancelled its gathering scheduled for Feb 24 “in response to restrictions imposed on the intellectual content of the event that threatened academic freedom.”
The UAE also barred entry to a visiting university lecturer, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, on his arrival to participate in the event, called ‘The Middle East: Transition in the Arab World’, Ulrichsen said.
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/193455/reftab/36/t/Arab-Spring-forum-in-UAE-cancelled/Default.aspx

This is the academic freedom in UAE!!!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 14849 Location: USA

Is there anyone who has ever taught there who thought that academic freedom exists as many of us know it?

VS

johnslat · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 5:47 pm Post subject:

Dear VS,

I've come to think that "academic freedom" (even in the US or the West in general) is usually/almost always an oxymoron.

Regards,
John

sandy gallop · Joined: 05 Jan 2007 Posts: 41 Location: San Dunia

What a hoot!! ... actually this was a serious faux pas by the LSE boffins who obligingly took on the role of post-modern colonial masters attempting to do a Wilfred Thessiger on the poor old camel herders ... and lo and behold were told to stick their facism elsewhere ... very very funny ... the freedom we have here is crucial to one's sensibility ... freedom to ignore the rest of the world ... freedom to earn whatever money we feel comfortable with ... freedom to leave .... freedom to come back ... freedom to teach whatever we want ... freedom to leave the emotional / ethical baggage at the check in counter ... freedom to think whatever we want ... freedom to laugh out loud at the sheer stupidity of just about everything in the known world that is deemed politically correct ... come on ... the price is cheap ... Faustian even!!! Academic freedom is also when one says no! ... You're speaking in tongues!