Minister warns censoring varsity reading lists ‘dangerous and odd’
A MINISTER has said that censoring key books from university reading lists is “a dangerous and odd road” which has no place in academic study.
Universities Minister Michelle Donelan told The Daily Telegraph’s Chopper’s Politics podcast that the “so-called decolonisation of the curriculum” was censoring history.
She said that by taking bits of history out that are viewed “as stains”, it became fiction.
Ms Donelan added: “The socalled decolonisation of the curriculum is, in effect, censoring history.
“As a history student, I’m a vehement protector and champion of safeguarding our history. It otherwise becomes fiction, if you start editing it, taking bits out that we view as stains.
“A fundamental part of our history is about learning from it, not repeating the mistakes.
“If we’re going down this road of taking bits out, it’s a very dangerous and odd road to go down.”
She added: “Certainly it has no place in our universities, I would argue, and it has no place in academic study.
“And it just doesn’t work when governments try to remove elements of history. Look at the Soviet Union, look at China.
“There are multiple examples where it’s been tried. It doesn’t work.”
Oxford University’s student council passed a Student Union motion last year condemning the use of “hateful material” which is “ableist, misogynistic, classist or transphobic” in mandatory teaching.
The motion also mandated the Student Union to lobby for trigger warnings on reading lists and for lectures, tutorials and examinations with content deemed prejudicial against groups such as trans, non-binary, disabled, working class, and women to be non-compulsory for students.
Ms Donelan said she was in favour of adding things to enrich the understanding of history. But she said most of the narrative is about removing elements which is “naive and irresponsible”.