The vast majority of researchers, teachers and students in higher education and scientific research do not suffer from self-censorship, but a minority say they experience pressure to restrict their own behavior or expressions.
That appears from a first, exploratory study into the perception and practice of self-censorship in higher education on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). The House of Representatives therefore had asked.
10 to 30 percent of researchers, teachers and students say they feel pressure to limit themselves or have done so at some point. This mainly applies to health, law and interdisciplinary studies at universities, but is much less prevalent at universities of applied sciences. Foreign researchers feel limited more often than Dutch researchers.
Of the researchers interviewed, 71 to 87 percent say they experience no or little pressure for self-censorship, for teachers this is 72 to 86 percent, and for students 66 to 90 percent. The share that says they never actually limit themselves is comparable. Researchers experience pressure mainly in conversations with colleagues and ‘public communication’, teachers in education and students mainly in conversations with fellow students.
The idea that self-censorship threatens academic freedom is considerably more widespread among scientists than actual self-censorship occurs, especially in publications. Of the researchers, 92 percent say they have never or once limited themselves in publications or presentations in the past three years.
The findings are nevertheless remarkable, because the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2018 stated that there are “no signals that there is structural self-censorship and limitation of diversity of perspectives in science in the Netherlands.” The Academy came to this conclusion in a letter of advice to the minister, mainly on the basis of the codes of conduct and rules of universities.
Motion in the House of Representatives
The demand for university self-censorship is politically charged. The KNAW’s advice was a result of a VVD motion in the House of Representatives that called for threats academic freedom to investigate. That motion was partly inspired by complaints from right-wing opinion makers about a ‘left-wing’ culture at Dutch universities. During the corona pandemic, with increasing threats to scientists, the House of Representatives asked in 2021 again for an investigation.
According to research agency Technopolis, which conducted the poll, the outcome is related to the “polarization and politicization of social issues” such as climate, gender, slavery and migration. The high score of health studies, for example, will be related to the social unrest about the corona policy.
The agency based its findings on two representative surveys of 538 teachers and researchers and 841 students, 37 individual interviews and two consultation rounds.
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In response, outgoing minister Robbert Dijkgraaf (Education, D66) says that the results of the poll “worry” him and are in line with a broader trend in society. He points to some measures taken, such as a reporting point for threatened scientists.
The KNAW says he recognizes himself in the findings and warns of increasing reluctance among scientists to express themselves in the social debate.