Academia takes tough stand against Zimbabwe dictator

[Jackmannii]

At last something meaningful has been done about Robert Mugabe.

I mean, this has really gotta sting.

[The Scrivener]

U. Mass, you say?

We got ideas to us that's dear
Like capitalist, like communist
Like lots of things you've heard about...

It's educational!


Now, if western academics really wanted to open up a can of whoop-ass on Pres. Mugabe, they could... er, threaten him with a post-structuralist deconstruction with a side order of psychoanalytic semiotic analysis. Yep, that'd do it.

[rowrrbazzle]

Funniest thing I've read in days!

[Qadgop the Mercotan]

As gestures go, it's not bad.

At least the institution is looking at him, and is willing to act, saying essentially "We gave you this honorary degree because we thought you were honorable. You've proven we were wrong in that opinion, and withdraw the honor".

Raises their credibility a bit.

Sadly, it does nothing about Mugabe.

[HazelNutCoffee]

It's better than what my school's been doing about Darfur, which is: nothing. There have been numerous (albeit disorganized) student protests about the board's decision not to divest from companies that are funding the government there, which the students interpret as the university supporting genocide. The school fed us some bullshit about trying to promote an environment of free inquiry, and if they took a definite stance on the issue it might lead to academics within the university feeling that they can't express dissent against the university's official position. There are not enough in the world for this. They could have at least been honest and say that the university couldn't financially afford to divest at this point.

So while taking away an honorary degree will do little in the long run, at least the university is taking some kind of moral stand.

[jjimm]

They haven't, of course, revoked it. They're "considering" revoking it.

Bob must be having a few sleepless nights about this.

The consideration! It burns!

[swampbear]

Yeah, that'll show him! Act right or we'll take back your honorary fake degree and go home!

[Little Nemo]

Sure the University of Massachusetts wants to rescind Mugabe's honorary degree. But when Harvard and MIT proposed sending in an intercollegiate peacekeeping force, where was UMass then?