Many academics who work on Southeast Asia have a natural interest in the problems that can emerge for those who fall foul of the region’s governments. Scholars working on a range of countries, including Indonesia, Thailand and Burma, have faced significant challenges on occasions when their work rubs up against countervailing political priorities. Readers of New Mandala know some of these stories only too well.
With Southeast Asian matters in mind I was interested to read that a group of 13 academics (all contributors to the pictured edited volume) were banned from traveling to China because of their scholarly work on the troubled western province of Xinjiang. Bloomberg is carrying a long article on this fascinating topic. It includes much of potential relevance to students and scholars of Southeast Asia. The comments from Gardner Bovingdon right at the end of the article are particularly worthy of consideration.
US Universities are US Corporations in the ‘Education’ Bidness. NYU has sold a franchise operation in China, while Miami has opened a Chinese franchise in Florida. ‘Scholars’ work for their bosses and do as they’re told. Just like welders, or ‘journalists’.
Sounds like the SAIS set these guys up. Madeleine K. Albright, Eliot A. Cohen, William Sebastian Cohen, Francis Fukuyama, Gary J. Schmitt, Paul Dundes Wolfowitz, David Wurmser… these neo-cons are the type of ‘scholars’ you get at the SAIS.
13 * 3,000 puts 330,000 – 39,000 in S. Frederick Starr’s pocket, doesn’t it?
Well… it’s not really inaccurate to portray SAIS as a US government mouthpiece.
Not addressing the qualifications of the 13, China’s fantasies about US aims are not wholly unjustified. The neo-cons are ready, willing…. and able?.. to spend America’s last dime on their wars… and China!.. real men foment color-revolutions in China! after they’ve conquered Tehran.
Good for Gardner Bovington. Leaves one with less than a totally unclean feeling after reading this article on American universities… in a business rag, where it belongs, I suppose.
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Am I missing something here? Academics doing what they are told just like welders or journalists. Be that as it may welders and journalists generally get paid more than academics. Perhaps this reflects the perceived usefulness of such occupational groups to paymasters and paymistresses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Here is an interesting response to the Bloomberg article:
http://www.thechinabeat.org/?p=3746
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