Yes, it can – but that’s probably just the strain of meeting so many
new people and trying to burn the candle at both ends for 168 hours.
It’s not because you are under constant observation and monitoring – or is it?
Well, not yet. But several recent moves from the DfES and the Home Office seem to be heading that way…
October 2006: Lecturers and university staff across
Britain are to be asked to spy on “Asian-looking” and Muslim students
they suspect of involvement in Islamic extremism and supporting
terrorist violence, the Guardian has learned. (more)
February 2005: Universities UK invited all UUK members to comment on Home Office proposals to target abuse of the student visa entry route to the UUK
in March 2004. Following these comments and further discussions, the
Home Office developed revised proposals for reporting on applicants who
do not enrol or students who do not attend. UUK also invited all members to comment on the Home Office five year strategy for asylum and immigration ‘Controlling our Borders: Making Migration Work for Britain’. (more)
This drip-feed of little signs seems to be mounting up to something that I don’t like the feel of at all.
I’m not the type of person who wears their politics on their sleeve
– but I feel uneasy about the recent trend in civil liberties policies.
Further Reading:
- First They Came for the Terrorists – Dan Goodman
- They’re Watching You – Chris Rossdale
4 Comments
October 16, 2006 at 1:08 pm
Well said, Cleaver.
October 16, 2006 at 6:15 pm
I’m
not sure if it’s stil up there but there used to be a specific
University website at Warwick (ie on the uni’s network) that was
designed to allow any Jewish student to report anything he or she felt
was intidimidating or threatening (verbally or physically) or suspicious.
I
felt quit slighted actually consdering that in my uni experience the
Uni’s Jewish community tends to get a free pass from basic racism (much
like I get a pass on it) because of the way they look, while I know
several Asian Muslims who were the targets of physical abuse (with
accompanying police reports) and a lot of Chinese who could barely walk
around Tile HIll without getting racially harrassed. Morever I’ve heard
of all sorts of racist issues on campus and in warwick Jobs. So I
thought it was a bit unfair.
But what gets me is the
“Reporting anything suspicious” – just seems so open for political
abuse (especially back when I was at Uni and some people thought
students speaking Arabic on a bus was intimidating and suspicious
enough to get reported ;)…. and it seems the government’s latest
“initiative” is designed to do the same. On a much grander scale.
If you want to see more of the same in the US – simply visit http://www.campus-watch.org
October 17, 2006 at 10:53 am
“Spying
on Asian students” – hah. In spite of the Guardian’s best efforts they
can’t quite get away from the fact that all is being asked of lecturers
is that they keep an eye on students who they expect of religious
extremism. Gosh, how shockingly controversial.
October 17, 2006 at 1:02 pm
Hamid: I don’t recall such a website on the University’s webspace. Can you remember where it was or wht it was called?
But we certainly support this one (which is linked from insite, SU Advice & Welfare and the International Office): http://www.report-it.org.uk/
(NB: Only displays in IE).
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