I think this deserves its own thread. Do colleges push a liberal agenda? What percent of colleges do you think are pushing liberal thought on its students?

I don't think most colleges promote a liberal agenda. I believe the nature of teachers and especially college professors leads them to be liberals and when they naturally share their political thoughts it is going to be a liberal opinion

I don't think most colleges promote a liberal agenda. I believe the nature of teachers and especially college professors leads them to be liberals and when they naturally share their political thoughts it is going to be a liberal opinion

 

I agree with you....but I also would say that's six of one, and half a dozen of the other.

I don't think most colleges promote a liberal agenda. I believe the nature of teachers and especially college professors leads them to be liberals and when they naturally share their political thoughts it is going to be a liberal opinion

 

I think it depends on which departments you're in. Lots of liberals in the arts. A friend of mine from high school teaches a first year English class at a small liberal arts school in the Northeast. Definitely gears his freshman course to try and get people to read things from a different point of view. Lots of feminist or gender-based readings of texts. Stuff that would make several people on this site want to gouge their eyes out... that includes me sometimes.

 

But go try and find me someone that doesn't preach the gospel of deregulation in a finance department in any business school in America. They are few and far between.

Good points Getslow. If we went down the list of various classes, who would be liberals and who would be conservatives?

Good points Getslow. If we went down the list of various classes, who would be liberals and who would be conservatives?

 

I think ideology is more important than liberal/conservative. Even in business schools you'll get a lot of Democratic voters for various reasons, but they're more likely to be Clinton Democrats than Sanders Democrats.

I don't understand why we don't want to promote independent thinking and exposure to alternate views at any level. And frankly, college winds up being where it most likely first occurs for most people, because that's often when people move away. There's nothing to say there is a right or wrong way to think or view the world. But by blinding ourselves to the views and experiences and ideologies of others, we perpetuate division and lack of collaborative skills.

Good points Getslow. If we went down the list of various classes, who would be liberals and who would be conservatives?

 

Liberals: anything in the fine arts section

Conservatives: business section

 

This is not all inclusive/exclusive, meaning, there are some liberal teachers that are business related and some conservative that are fine arts related. But for the majority I would say the way I split it is how it is.

Good points Getslow. If we went down the list of various classes, who would be liberals and who would be conservatives?

 

He definitely makes a good point. One thing I was initially very surprised by when I was in the construction management program was the more-or-less 50/50 political split that the faculty in the department had. I think that likely has a good deal to do with the role that unions play in construction, and the unions' relationships with the democratic party.

I don't understand why we don't want to promote independent thinking and exposure to alternate views at any level. And frankly, college winds up being where it most likely first occurs for most people, because that's often when people move away. There's nothing to say there is a right or wrong way to think or view the world. But by blinding ourselves to the views and experiences and ideologies of others, we perpetuate division and lack of collaborative skills.

 

This is exactly why Liberal teachers tend to be the artsy type professors. They call for a more abstract/outside the box thinking.

I think one of the dangers of today's world, is that we are so hell-bent on pigeonholing everyone. We see it all the time on this site. Conservatives: heartless, selfish and only concerned with money. Liberals: shiftless, free-loading and bleeding hearts. The reality is that life is messy. No one fits into one box and is indicative of all the either good or bad traits of either ideology. Well, at least in my experience, the worst of or best of either is rarely what a person truly embodies.

This is exactly why Liberal teachers tend to be the artsy type professors. They call for a more abstract/outside the box thinking.

 

One of my best lessons in critical thinking was from a history professor. I have no idea what his politics were. But he taught me to examine both sides of the issue, and when presenting my opinion, to do so with facts and justification. He didn't allow hyperbole, and he didn't allow nebulous thought patterns. The second most influential of my short collegiate career was an English professor. Again, no idea of his politics, but he also refused to allow baseless rhetoric as a submission. My nephew is a PhD candidate, Public Policy. He is as liberal as they come, like way more left than anyone you would even think of meeting on BGP. He's always upset that the conservative agenda is to pervasive in academia. I suppose there are examples we can throw out all over the board. In the end, if you are a strong person, a thoughtful person, you'll learn to sort through the rhetoric. And you'll also learn to recognize what some say is promoting an agenda, is actually just an attempt to push you out of your comfort zone. I am continually amazed at the people who think there is some sort of nefarious collusion to take over the world by either the liberals or the conservatives.

Yes.

100%.

I think this deserves its own thread. Do colleges push a liberal agenda? What percent of colleges do you think are pushing liberal thought on its students?

 

Only if you let them.

I think one of the dangers of today's world, is that we are so hell-bent on pigeonholing everyone. We see it all the time on this site. Conservatives: heartless, selfish and only concerned with money. Liberals: shiftless, free-loading and bleeding hearts. The reality is that life is messy. No one fits into one box and is indicative of all the either good or bad traits of either ideology. Well, at least in my experience, the worst of or best of either is rarely what a person truly embodies.

 

I will agree with you on this.