"Islamo-leftism" at the university: route of a controversy

The Minister of Higher Education, Frédérique Vidal, asked the CNRS for an investigation into "Islamo-leftism" at the university, causing controversy.

The university community strongly condemned this initiative, while government spokesman Gabriel Attal distanced himself from the minister. 

DECRYPTION

Last October, the Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer denounced the "ravages of Islamo-leftism at the university" at the microphone of Europe 1, sparking a heated debate.

This time, it was the Minister of Higher Education who caused an outcry on the same theme.

Frédérique Vidal on Tuesday asked the CNRS for an investigation into "Islamo-leftism" at the university, in order, according to her, to distinguish between what is academic research and what is activism.

The indignant reactions of the university community were not long in coming, the CNRS itself condemning in a press release "a political slogan used in public debate" which "does not correspond to any scientific reality".

Government spokesman Gabriel Attal also reacted, distancing himself from Frédérique Vidal.

Europe 1 returns to this new controversy between a minister and the academic world. 

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Act 1: Frédérique Vidal calls into question the universities on CNews

It all started with an interview given on Sunday evening by Frédérique Vidal on

CNews

, on the set of Jean-Pierre Elkabbach.

According to her, "Islamo-leftism plagues society as a whole and the university is not impermeable".

"What we observe in universities is that there are people who can use their titles and the aura they have, they are in the minority (...) to carry radical ideas or to carry militant ideas, "said the minister, immediately arousing indignation on social networks. 

# Secularism |

The Republic is at home everywhere in the universities.

We must distinguish scientific knowledge from that which concerns opinions.

pic.twitter.com/xBCpiBbR8K

- Frédérique Vidal (@VidalFrederique) February 14, 2021

Act 2: the Minister requests an investigation from the CNRS 

Frédérique Vidal returned to her remarks on Tuesday, during questions to the government in the National Assembly.

Deputy LFI Bénédicte Taurine said she was "shocked" by "these witch hunts worthy of another regime", calling on the minister to clarify her thinking.

"I was questioned about what we see appearing in universities, namely academics who say they themselves are prevented by others from carrying out their research, their studies," replied Frédérique Vidal. 

The minister then announced that she was going to ask the CNRS "for an assessment of all the research taking place in our country, whether it is research on post-colonialism for example".

"I was extremely shocked to see a Confederate flag appear on Capitol Hill and I think it is essential that the humanities and social sciences look into these questions which are still topical," she said.

The Republic is at home in the Universities.

I trust scientists so that academic freedom is guaranteed everywhere.

They can count on me.

Yes, I am going to ask that we have a work of analysis of the currents which cross our establishments.

pic.twitter.com/4EtryotTCE

- Frédérique Vidal (@VidalFrederique) February 16, 2021

Act 3: the university community outraged, the CNRS condemns 

This proposal immediately sparked an outcry in academia.

In a statement, the Conference of University Presidents (CPU) expressed "its amazement at a new sterile controversy on the subject of 'Islamo-leftism' at the university".

"If the government needs analyzes, contradictions, scientific discourse supported to help it out of the caricatured representations and quibbles of commercial coffee, the universities are at its disposal", she suggested.

On Wednesday, the CNRS itself published a vitriolic press release denouncing the proposal of Frédérique Vidal.

"Islamo-leftism, a political slogan used in public debate, does not correspond to any scientific reality. The CNRS strongly condemns those who try to take advantage of it to call into question academic freedom, essential to the scientific process and to the advancement of knowledge, or stigmatize certain scientific communities ", wrote the prestigious research organization, little follower of such positions. 

# Press release ️ |

"#Islamogauchism", a term with ill-defined outlines, is the subject of many public positions.

The @CNRS strongly condemns those who try to take advantage of it to question academic freedom ...

➡️ https://t.co/SzRHk3BWS8pic.twitter.com/XrHaUBgsen

- National Center for Scientific Research (@CNRS) February 17, 2021

Act 4: Attal and Macron distance themselves 

Faced with the sling, government spokesman Gabriel Attal reacted at a press conference on Wednesday.

Emmanuel Macron has an "absolute attachment to the independence of teacher-researchers", he declared, thus distancing himself from the survey requested by Frédérique Vidal. 

Asked whether or not the president supports this approach by the Minister of Higher Education, the government spokesperson kicked in touch.

"The priority for the government is obviously the situation of students in the health crisis, it is obviously the possibility of providing financial support to students in difficulty, it is obviously to allow students who wish to be able to gradually return to the university face-to-face, "he replied.

A polished crop, in short.