Academic Crimethink

Academic Crimethink - By Robert Weissberg - Phi Beta Cons - National Review Online
More important is how they promote academic self-censorship.
Step by step, academic novices learn the boundaries of permissible inquiry.
Imagine a fledging assistant professor circulating a meticulously researched, fact-laden article to colleagues concluding that European colonialism cannot explain the contemporary economic mess in Africa, a statement that clearly violates today’s academic orthodoxy.
Faced with a possible heresy in the making, a “helpful” more senior faculty would mentor him with, “I see your point, Smith, and I admire all your carefully assembled data, but let me advise you that this research on the impact of colonialism is very unsettled, is often controversial, and can easily promote stereotypes — perhaps even dangerous ones.”
Unless the fledging Professor Smith is a blockhead, he’ll get the message — don’t even think of going in there, and stick to the prevailing Marxist-favored pieties about the colonial legacy.
In a few short years the young Professor Smith will intuitively know the boundaries and, for good measure, not even think about venturing into taboo terrain.
No need for commissars.