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Prejudice, Power, and Injustice: Problems in Academia

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Prejudice, Stigma, Privilege, and Oppression

Abstract

Politics deals with the interrelated problems of power and justice. Academics largely hold views of what can be called the political left to these questions of power and justice. It is the political left that wields power in the academy. This can create a bias (perhaps even a “prejudice”) toward the minority on the political right. Political ideologies also can influence the definition and understanding of prejudice on many key dimensions. Prejudice is not seen as a fairly ordinary epistemic failing but it is also seen as significant moral failing. The political left with its power in the academy has violated the civil liberties of those that they disagree with; often using the construct of prejudice in these problematic moves. This chapter calls for more justice, tolerance, openness, and a renewed respect for civil liberties on campus by a more critical and thoroughgoing analysis of the construct of prejudice.

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O’Donohue, W. (2020). Prejudice, Power, and Injustice: Problems in Academia. In: Benuto, L., Duckworth, M., Masuda, A., O'Donohue, W. (eds) Prejudice, Stigma, Privilege, and Oppression. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35517-3_2

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