Whether you agree or disagree with him, censoring him is fascism itself.
A British-based academic was at the centre of an international race row after citing ‘research’ that claimed black women are uglier than other races.
The conclusions of Dr Satoshi Kanazawa have left one of the country’s leading universities mired in controversy for the second time this year.
Dr Kanazawa, a lecturer at the London School of Economics, has published findings based on a survey of white, Asian, black and native American men and women who were asked to rate each other’s attractiveness based on photographs.
Black women scored lowest, Asian highest.
The controversial Japanese academic, an evolutionary psychologist, concluded this is because African women have higher levels of testosterone than other races and therefore have more masculine features.
Last night the LSE responded to calls that Dr Kanazawa should consider his position by defending the academic freedom of its staff – although it admitted it had begun an internal investigation.
Not only does Dr Kanazawa fail to provide any evidence to support his conclusion, he fails to say how many people took part in the research and does not even mention the race of the women – for example whether they are Afro-Caribbean.
Nor does he explore the fact that the research on which he bases his conclusion was conducted in America where European ideals of beauty dominate.
According to Satoshi Kanazawal, 'science' would suggest Naomi Campbell is less attractive than fellow supermodel Elle Macpherson
He says: ‘The only thing I can think of that might potentially explain the lower average level of physical attractiveness among black women is testosterone.
'Africans on average have higher levels of testosterone than other races…women with higher levels of testosterone have more masculine features and are therefore less physically attractive.’
His article, published on the U.S.-based website Psychology Today, caused international outrage.
It is not the first time that Dr Kanazawa, 48, a lecturer within the department of management at the LSE, has been accused of peddling racist theories.
In 2006 he published a paper suggesting the poor health of some sub-Saharan Africans is the result of low IQ, not poverty.
Professor Paul Gilroy, a sociology lecturer at the LSE, said: ‘Kanazawa’s persistent provocations raise the issue of whether he can do his job effectively in a multi-ethnic, diverse and international institution.
Kanazawa's original post on Psychology Today, which has since been removed
‘If he announces that he thinks sub-Saharan Africans are less intelligent than other people, what happens when they arrive in his classroom?’
He added: ‘The LSE risks disrepute if it fails to take a view of these problems.’
Tokyo-born Dr Kanazawa studied in Bulgaria and gained a PhD in Sociology at the University of Arizona. He has been at the LSE since 2003 and is now on sabbatical.
He portrays himself as the scourge of political correctness and his own website carries the slogan ‘prepare to be offended’.
He once declared: ‘The only responsibility scientists have is to the truth. Scientists are not responsible for the potential or actual consequences of the knowledge they create.’
In the latest blog, which Psychology Today swiftly removed after it was posted on Monday, Dr Kanazawa uses research on physical attractiveness by Add Health, a long-running U.S. study of adolescents.
A graph used by the evolutionary psychologist, which he claims shows that black women are less attractive than those of other races
The LSE said it had begun an investigation. A spokesman said: ‘The views expressed by this academic are his own and do not in any way represent those of LSE.
‘The important principle of academic freedom means that authors have the right to publish their views – but it also gives others the freedom to disagree.’
Earlier this year it was revealed the LSE had extensive links to Colonel Gaddafi.It accepted a £1.5million donation from the Libyan dictator’s son Saif a year after he was awarded a PhD and agreed to a £2.2million contract with Libya to train its civil service.
AN INSTITUTION THAT ATTRACTS CONTROVERSY
This is not the first recent occasion that the London School of Economics has caused controversy.
Earlier this year it was revealed that the respected university had extensive links to Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi.
The university accepted a £1.5million donation from the dictator's son, Saif Gaddafi - a year after he was awarded a PhD - and a £2.2million contract with Libya to train its civil service.
In March, the Daily Mail revealed how an alliance of influential figures linked to the Tony Blair government and ex-MI6 spy chiefs running the LSE had promoted Gaddafi and his son in return for huge handouts to the university.
Lord Giddens, the ex-Prime Minister's intellectual guru, was LSE director in 2002 when Saif was accepted as an LSE student.
Others with senior posts at the LSE include Sir David Manning, Blair's chief foreign policy officer now involved with major energy and arms companies, his ex-chief of staff Jonathan Powell, and former Foreign Office Minister Baroness Symons - forced to stand down from Libya's National Economic Development Board this week.
Another is Sir Mark Allen, a former MI6 spy who played a pivotal role in bringing Blair and Colonel Gaddafi together.
He is a special adviser to the global consultancy Monitor Group, from which Saif Gaddafi commissioned research for his PhD - awarded in 2008 and now to be subjected to Lord Woolf's inquiry to check on its 'academic authenticity'.
Last May at the LSE, Saif delivered the Ralph Miliband Memorial lecture, dedicated to Labour leader Ed Miliband's Communist father who taught there. He told the audience he believed democracy was the best way forward for the future of Libya.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1388313/LSE-psychologist-Satoshi-Kanazawa-claims-black-women-attractive.html#ixzz1MmniNtpQ
Thursday 19 May 2011
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2 comments:
"According to Satoshi kanazawal, 'science' would suggest Naomi Campbell is less attractive than fellow supermodel Elle Macpherson"....where or who is this statement from? Campbell is of mixed race (her paternal grandmother had the family name Ming) so does she still count?
Johhny Ball on Science education
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