Abstract

The Special interest groups have a long history of unsolicited involvement in academia (Holt, 2021). Such unsolicited involvement often leads to encroachments on academic freedoms. This presentation will begin by operationalizing modern academic freedoms as the freedoms to engage in teaching/learning (lehrfreiheit/lernfreiheit), inquiry, external/internal speech, and service which is how both the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) contextualize academic freedoms (Dea, 2018; Euben, 2002). Next, examples of special interest groups involvement with academia will be examined. High-profile examples of well-known special interest groups (e.g., British Petroleum, Tyson, SmithKlineBeecham/GlaxoSmithKline, etc.) will be used to show the effects of their involvements in academic research (Lea, 2010). Public skepticism is one of the consequences when academia invites external special interest groups into the inquiry process (Heck, 2014). An academics’ ability to remain neutral while researching for results becomes questionable (McWhorter, 2021) when external special interest groups invest in the research (outcome). The presenter will discuss some of the criticism and condemnation of academic integrity that is reflected on the freedom of inquiry process. The presenter will introduce the audience to websites such as propublica.com that monitor and keep track of external special interest groups involvement in academia. However, the presenter will also examine internal conflicts of interest. For example, an internal conflict of interest can be caused when a job candidate is also a member of the appointed search committee. The presenter will then explain how students’ academic freedoms are also at risk from special interest groups. Perhaps, a student is interested in studying a particular discipline in college but is coerced into studying an entirely different discipline due to monies being provided to only pursue studies in the alternative discipline. Finally, the presenter will summarize how academics can prevent and maintain credibility and integrity when dealing with conflicts of interest. The presentation will conclude with audience questions and discussion.

Speaker:  Brett J. Holt

Published in: Ireland International Conference on Education (IICE-2024)

  • Date of Conference: 28-30 October, 2024
  • DOI: 10.20533/IICE.2024.10.0001
  • ISBN: 978-1-913572-73-0
  • Conference Location: Dún Laoghaire, Ireland

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