Laurens Buijs: “Brave Spaces” or “Safe Spaces” – Which Is Essential for Academia; Development of Ideas

Laurens Buijs, a gender studies professor at the University of Amsterdam, sheds light on the growing divide between academia and society in the Netherlands due to the prevalence of woke ideology within universities. Despite advocating for diversity and inclusion, the University of Amsterdam tends to label individuals critical of gender, vaccines, or multicultural ideology as right-wingers. This labeling has eroded public trust in universities. Buijs argues that instead of promoting political correctness and ideological conformity, universities should foster radical differences and dialogue between different groups. To combat cancel culture and encourage open debate, Buijs proposes the establishment of brave spaces that embrace diverse viewpoints.

Introduction: Laurens Buijs and the Divide in Academia and Society

Laurens Buijs, a gender studies professor at the University of Amsterdam, addresses the growing gap between academia and society in the Netherlands. Buijs attributes this divide to the prevalence of woke ideology within universities, which has led to a mistrust of academic institutions among the general population. Despite universities’ claims of promoting diversity and inclusion, individuals who criticize certain topics are often labeled as right-wingers, undermining the spirit of open debate and intellectual freedom.

The Challenges of Woke Culture: Academic Freedom at Stake

Buijs shares his personal experience as a whistleblower against the University of Amsterdam’s woke culture. He filed a complaint stating that academic freedom and free thinking had become impossible due to extreme ideology. An independent research committee was installed to investigate his claim, but the situation has escalated to the point where Buijs is now facing the risk of termination and the department is in turmoil. Buijs highlights the divisive nature of the culture, with people divided into camps supporting or opposing woke culture, and a silent resistance afraid to speak out due to cancel culture.

Framed as Far-Right: Criticism of Gender, Vaccinations, and Multicultural Society

Buijs, who classifies himself as gender-critical, discusses how he has been framed as a far-right individual for criticizing extreme aspects of the transgender and LGBT movements. He emphasizes the need for a more nuanced approach to gender identity beyond self-identification. Buijs also criticizes the lack of diversity in viewpoints at the University of

Amsterdam, despite its professed obsession with diversity and inclusion. Anyone critical of gender, vaccinations, or multicultural society is immediately labeled as far right-wing and excluded from the campus community.

Rethinking Diversity: Universality and Hypocrisy in Universities

The roots of the word “university” and its relation to universality and the liberal arts are explored in this section. Buijs questions the notion of “diversity” in the context of universities, including whether the diversity of religion is allowed. The speaker suggests that the University of Amsterdam may be hypocritical in its stance on “brave spaces” or “safe spaces,” considering the country’s historical legacy and the growing Muslim population. There is a proposal to divest and reevaluate the role of the university in society.

Wary of Sending Children to University: Ideological Gap in the Netherlands

Buijs discusses the growing division between academic elites and the general population in the Netherlands due to the rise of woke ideology. The University of Amsterdam, a stronghold of liberal ideology in the country, has been a strong advocate for woke ideology in recent years. However, this ideology is out of sync with the general population’s ideas, leading many Dutch people to hesitate to send their children to university, fearing they will be indoctrinated rather than encouraged to think independently. Buijs acknowledges the pressure on academic institutions to address these concerns and restore the core of the academic project, which includes radical differences and dialogue between different groups.

Toxic Culture: Resentment and Hierarchical Structures in Universities

Buijs delves into the systemic issues present in universities, specifically focusing on the University of Amsterdam. He highlights the rise of a toxic, competitive culture, where scarce positions such as PhDs, professors, and postdocs are fiercely sought after, leading to resentment and hierarchical structures. Buijs observes that successful professors often run their research departments like companies, driven by the pursuit of growth and funding, which hampers curiosity and openness to diverse perspectives. A comparison is drawn between universities and companies like Enron and Budweiser, where the latter can learn from market feedback, while universities, due to tenure and government funding, remain shielded from such external accountability.

The Political and Corporate Agenda in Scientific Establishment

Buijs suggests that there is a power play occurring within the scientific establishment, where academia has become intertwined with political and corporate interests, all while maintaining the guise of objective science. He calls for transparency in the scientists’ interests and emphasizes the importance of embracing uncertainty and welcoming diverse perspectives in scientific projects. Buijs urges the University of Amsterdam to make radical interventions by including viewpoint diversity and radical views in the job description of diversity departments and committees.

Radical Pluralistic Debates: Embracing Uncertainty and Different Perspectives

This section emphasizes the need to integrate diversity and inclusion programs into the framework of academic freedom. The core of the scientific process lies in engaging with different viewpoints and embracing uncertainty. The speaker challenges the notion that consensus always aligns with scientific progress and discusses the presence of power hierarchies and human tendencies to form hierarchical structures. The harmful effects of excluding groups and engaging in homonym attacks are highlighted, drawing parallels to the sorting of individuals into groups in the magical world of Harry Potter.

The Impact of Cancel Culture on Open and Free Debate

The discussion centers around cancel culture and its detrimental effect on open and free debate. Buijs points out how individuals are swiftly labeled as bad people by a morality police if they hold controversial opinions. The example of JK Rowling is cited, as she faced criticism for her critique of the trans movement. Buijs argues that the radicalization of the trans movement poses a threat to women’s and gay

movements, undermining the understanding of gender and sex. Dialogue becomes nearly impossible, and people are afraid to express their opinions due to fear of being canceled. Buijs advocates for the prioritization of brave spaces in academia, which encourage individuals to be open to new ideas and diverse viewpoints, fostering academic growth through challenging and destabilizing opposing perspectives.

The Importance of Bravery in Academia and Development of Ideas

The importance of bravery and independent thinking in academia is discussed in this section. Buijs highlights that students today are too quick to label themselves as hurt or unsafe, lacking the ability to engage in arguments. The concept of tenure is also questioned, suggesting that it should align with bravery rather than permanence, as it seems to contradict the fundamental nature of higher education. Buijs mentions his potential future career in politics and criticizes intersectionality for creating a hierarchy of victimhood that turns individuals into dependent children in positions of power.

Religion in Academia and Society: Antiquated or Proto-Scientific?

The role of religion in academia and society is explored, challenging the notion that religion is entirely outdated. The speaker argues that religion can possess proto-scientific characteristics, particularly in defining concepts of gender and sexuality. However, institutionalization and dogmatism within religion can lead to conflict and a lack of openness to alternative perspectives. The importance of true individualism and free thinking among students and faculty members is advocated, fostering a reflexive approach to personal beliefs and dogma.

Brave Thinking and Progress: Breaking Out of Dominant Structures

This section highlights the significance of bravery and independent thinking in breaking free from dominant structures. Historical figures who challenged prevailing beliefs and contributed to progress and freedom are mentioned. Various links and resources related to the speaker’s work are shared, along with a book recommendation discussing the false panic and pandemic surrounding the Zika virus, which attracted substantial research funding despite not causing human illness.

Promoting Justice and Healing Science

The conversation shifts to the need for debunking the events that unfolded during the pandemic to promote justice in the future. The guest suggests that science has been complicit in schemes that led to questionable vaccination policies and approaches to COVID-19. The host recommends the guest’s book as a valuable contribution to the debate surrounding healing science and addressing issues within academia. The discussion concludes with a reflection on the trivialization of labeling individuals in society and the necessity of moving beyond such categorizations.

Conclusion

Laurens Buijs, a gender studies professor at the University of Amsterdam, sheds light on the divide between academia and society in the Netherlands caused by woke ideology prevalent in universities. He argues that universities should promote brave spaces that encourage diversity of viewpoints rather than political correctness and ideology conformity. Buijs highlights the need for open debate and radical difference to combat cancel culture and rebuild trust in academic institutions. This conversation sparks important discussions on the role of universities, systemic issues, and the necessity of brave thinking for the development of ideas.

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