The government’s proposal to put “universities under a statutory duty to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism” (“Critics label bill ‘censorship’ ”, News, 4 December) has nothing to do with preventing acts of terror. It is a blatant piece of propaganda, designed as yet another measure to put universities at the ideological disposal of government. No one with any academic integrity can possibly support it, as Thomas Docherty reminds us in the same issue (“Hostile takeover”, Features). So here is an unprecedented opportunity for Universities UK actively to represent our universities and simply refuse to obey. But will it? Or might at least some of its members do so? Or indeed any of its members? I’m sure no one is holding their breath. But then what are we, as academics, going to do about it?
Bob Brecher
Professor of moral philosophy, University of Brighton