December 4, 2011

Beware the Dragon

Beware the 1

Qilai Shen for The Chronicle Review

Faculty at Duke U. have questioned whether its new campus in Kunshan, China, will be able to guarantee academic freedom and free access to information.

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Qilai Shen for The Chronicle Review

Faculty at Duke U. have questioned whether its new campus in Kunshan, China, will be able to guarantee academic freedom and free access to information.

By Peter Conn

According to a Chinese friend of mine, video surveillance, physical threats, and police detention define "academic freedom with Chinese characteristics."

The Communist Party's treatment of scholars and artists over the past several years confirms my friend's mordant judgment. The party's behavior should also encourage American university administrators to think a bit more deeply before continuing their scramble to establish academic partnerships and branch campuses in