Discussing personal views on politics/controversial issues with faculty

[phdaspiration]

Do any of your refrain from discussing your personal beliefs about controversial/political issues with faculty or other members of your program? I am entering grad school after working for 3 years and in my workplace, discussing these sorts of issues with co-workers was strongly discouraged. Is it the same for grad school? Obviously the coursework for some disciplines (e.g., political science, law) may warrant such discussion, but I'm wondering what the majority of grad students experience.

[Strangefox]

Interesting question! I would also like to know what other people think about that.

I believe I would not refrain from discussing controversial topics with faculty/peers altogether but I would be very careful with that and not push it too much. It's a difficult situation...

[eco_env]

Yes, I wouldn't talk about controversial stuff that isn't related to ecology. Except if people were saying really horrible stuff and i had to respond.

[Eigen]

Depends on the person. I have a few colleagues with whom we regularly take long lunches and argue over lots of recent political developments... And I have a lot who I just avoid the topic with mostly/entirely.

As you're in the program, you develop some people who are close friends, some who are reasonably close, and some who are just acquaintances/colleagues.... Discuss your personal life/views accordingly.

[hejduk]

I think it depends on the relationship you have with the people in question. You need to keep your cards close to your chest as you start out (which I'm doing this fall), but I'd think as you develop relationships with people that these topics will eventually come up.

Also depends on if you bring it up, or if it's brought up. I'd refrain from bringing up personally, but if someone asks me, you'll have to think about how you'll respond.

I think you can discuss any situation in a respectful way, but not everyone can respond with such care. I'm an opinionated person, but carry myself quite carefully around newly-made relationships.

[Agradatudent]

I 100% refraim from with faculty and mostly with peers. I do not have extreme views, but I do not have liberal views either. I am more of a moderate and the particular university I was in is very liberal. Anything I said seemed to be controversial to them, so I stopped saying anything.

[Strangefox]

I still think that it is possible to discuss these issues with faculty/peers if you are friends - even if you have completely different points of view. I believe that discussing and even politely arguing with clever and reasonable people helps you to understand your own position better, learn to articulate it, find flaws in your argument. Discussions of that sort with friends whose opinion is important to me (even if I don't share it) has always enriched me. That does not mean that I will change my opinion as a result of such an argument - but if done properly on both sides (no ad hominem) it can only be helpful.

[ZeeMore21]

I think it depends on the relationship you have with the people in question. You need to keep your cards close to your chest as you start out (which I'm doing this fall), but I'd think as you develop relationships with people that these topics will eventually come up.

Also depends on if you bring it up, or if it's brought up. I'd refrain from bringing up personally, but if someone asks me, you'll have to think about how you'll respond.

I think you can discuss any situation in a respectful way, but not everyone can respond with such care. I'm an opinionated person, but carry myself quite carefully around newly-made relationships.

Well said hejduk.

[ZeeMore21]

I think that in my case, I did make sure that I chose an institution whose political views, for the most part, aligned with my own.

[luce373]

I agree that it depends a lot about the relationship you have with a particular professor/peer. I try not to bring up controversial issues (especially with people I don't know as well), but my current liberal arts college is very politically focused so those kinds of topics come up anyway. When I start grad school in the fall I definitely plan to refrain from talking about controversial issues when possible.

It makes it a little complicated that I am gay and in a relationship, though. I have no intention of pretending I don't have a girlfriend, so I suppose you could say I bring up the topic of LGBT issues whenever I mention her. But at my current college and I certainly hope my future university, that doesn't count as controversial anymore.

[hejduk]

I 100% refraim from with faculty and mostly with peers. I do not have extreme views, but I do not have liberal views either. I am more of a moderate and the particular university I was in is very liberal. Anything I said seemed to be controversial to them, so I stopped saying anything.

That's unfortunate that you couldn't express your views... Life is bland without others' views, so I'm even more glad to have found a place I feel will be open to discussions.

[Agradatudent]

That's unfortunate that you couldn't express your views... Life is bland without others' views, so I'm even more glad to have found a place I feel will be open to discussions.

My undergrad really alienated people for their views. If you weren't apart of a certain "club," then many people looked down on you for being "narrow minded" or just stupid. There was a huge prejudice there.

The time that showed this most was when I was friends with the vice president of our school's Pride Alliance and I would eat lunch in their office with him. One time an impromptu meeting started up while I was there, and most people in there didn't know me so I supposed they assumed they were in like minded company. Somehow they got onto the topic of bringing a band to one of their events, and one of the bands (who was pro-LGBT) was also a Christian band. The main coordinated after bringing this up immediately took them off the list saying "We don't want fucking Christians at our events" as I sat there, a straight Christian. I'd like to point out that everyone was in agreement on this topic.

One of numerous examples!

[Lyra Belacqua]

I believe that discussing and even politely arguing with clever and reasonable people helps you to understand your own position better, learn to articulate it, find flaws in your argument.

The problem is that people often say or imply things like "If you have opinion X on issue Y, then you are not a reasonable person."

[qbtacoma]

My undergrad really alienated people for their views. If you weren't apart of a certain "club," then many people looked down on you for being "narrow minded" or just stupid. There was a huge prejudice there.

The time that showed this most was when I was friends with the vice president of our school's Pride Alliance and I would eat lunch in their office with him. One time an impromptu meeting started up while I was there, and most people in there didn't know me so I supposed they assumed they were in like minded company. Somehow they got onto the topic of bringing a band to one of their events, and one of the bands (who was pro-LGBT) was also a Christian band. The main coordinated after bringing this up immediately took them off the list saying "We don't want fucking Christians at our events" as I sat there, a straight Christian. I'd like to point out that everyone was in agreement on this topic.

One of numerous examples!

Talk about the tyranny of the complacent majority! That sucks a lot.

I think I've had a lot of good models in my life for respectful discourse - my dad, to start, along with some professors and other students or friends who I admired for keeping their heads in some heated discussions. That said, I'm certainly not above ranting to friends about things I believe strongly about, which has startled me at times when they disagree!

Part of the issue is that I really like heated debate if I perceive it to be a mutually enjoyable intellectual exploration, but once emotions or personal attacks appear then I lose my appetite for it. I always really liked the image from To Kill a Mockingbird where Atticus Finch and whoever the prosecuting lawyer is go arm-in-arm to lunch after vicious courtroom debate. That's pretty much what I would like my grad school experience to be like.

[Agradatudent]

Talk about the tyranny of the complacent majority! That sucks a lot.

I think I've had a lot of good models in my life for respectful discourse - my dad, to start, along with some professors and other students or friends who I admired for keeping their heads in some heated discussions. That said, I'm certainly not above ranting to friends about things I believe strongly about, which has startled me at times when they disagree!

Part of the issue is that I really like heated debate if I perceive it to be a mutually enjoyable intellectual exploration, but once emotions or personal attacks appear then I lose my appetite for it. I always really liked the image from To Kill a Mockingbird where Atticus Finch and whoever the prosecuting lawyer is go arm-in-arm to lunch after vicious courtroom debate. That's pretty much what I would like my grad school experience to be like.

It always seems to turn personal though. Maybe its just because people I know are very passionate but it goes from a healthy discussion on a topic like abortion to exchanging personal blows...

[qbtacoma]

It always seems to turn personal though. Maybe its just because people I know are very passionate but it goes from a healthy discussion on a topic like abortion to exchanging personal blows...

Oof - yeah, abortion's a hard one. Honestly, I've never had a good conversation on it with someone with whom I fundamentally disagree. Immigration is another hard one - I can think of three respectful discussions, ever.

[Strangefox]

It always seems to turn personal though. Maybe its just because people I know are very passionate but it goes from a healthy discussion on a topic like abortion to exchanging personal blows...

People do get passionate but some cross the line (and start discussing each other's lifes and personalities) and others don't. I prefer to have a discussion with those who can control themselves If they can't, I just avoid discussing controversial topics with them. To think of it, there are really few people with whom I can talk about such issues. Hopefully, in the grad school I will find some more

[Bukharan]

The time that showed this most was when I was friends with the vice president of our school's Pride Alliance and I would eat lunch in their office with him. One time an impromptu meeting started up while I was there, and most people in there didn't know me so I supposed they assumed they were in like minded company. Somehow they got onto the topic of bringing a band to one of their events, and one of the bands (who was pro-LGBT) was also a Christian band. The main coordinated after bringing this up immediately took them off the list saying "We don't want fucking Christians at our events" as I sat there, a straight Christian. I'd like to point out that everyone was in agreement on this topic.

I sort of see your point. However, LGBT people throughout U.S. and world history took so much sh*t from numerous 'Christian' groups that you can't really blame some LGBT people from having a negative reacting whenever they hear the C word.

If you really didn't like what you heard, you could have spoken up back then, in that room. Everyone's free to speak up.

As for discussing political opinions, I'd say that if you believe you have nothing to be ashamed of in your views (your views are not biased towards and do not discriminate: people of different race, different socio-economic standing, different gender or sexual orientation), then you could and you probably should make your voice heard.

[Behavioral]

I guess I'm going a little against the current from what seems to be the predominant opinion here, but here's my view on the issue:

Change religion to whatever controversial personal belief one holds. I respect everyone has their own belief about whatever the subject may be; I have mine, too. In the correct context, I'd be happy to discuss things civilly, but many times these subjects arise in conversations unsolicited and I don't care much for that.

[far_to_go]

Enjoying that metaphor, Behavioral! And btw, I'm (more or less) religious.

I'm in an anthro department and we do tend to discuss issues that are fairly sensitive politically. Disagreements can get a bit heated sometimes. But on the whole, people usually do a good job of keeping things polite and reasonable- one of the many things I like about my department. I'm lucky to have landed amongst a bunch of mature and level-headed people.

That said, I think that the answer to this question is really context-dependent. It depends on the character of the department overall and the characters of the people involved. My advice would be to hope for productive, enlightening discourse, and try to engage in it and foster it where you can, but don't be overly eager to drag others into it right away.

[Just me]

I just finished a two-week aesthetics class where people regularly got into big debates in class over form, content, etc. in works of art. Basically, I had an arguing class. I didn't get involved in discussions in the least because I don't like talking in class and I was too damn tired usually to make any sort of compelling argument anyway. I've never ever been one to try and argue with a professor because it was drilled into my head my whole life that authority is to never ever be questioned...that stuck with me and I'm afraid to say anything in objection to a professor, even if I know they are wrong.

But no, I don't discuss such things with either classmates or professors...usually because I will say something stupid when everyone else is vastly smarter than I am, so I just keep my trap shut to avoid humiliation. My school is religion-based, but does not require students to be Catholic (I'm sure as hell not), they don't shove religion down your throat beyond the occasional cross over a doorway or a Mary statue outside, and the sisters are very down to earth and not preachy to us at all. But still, some of the folks in my class are gay and find they cannot discuss their relationships too openly. Apparently Catholic schools in my state have the right to throw homosexual people out on the basis of their sexuality alone.

[wtncffts]

I guess I have a little different take on things theoretically, in that I believe politics should not, in general, be a private matter but a matter for public discourse. To paraphrase Justice Scalia in Doe v. Reed (one of the few things I agree with him on), a democracy cannot be sustained without some measure of "civic courage", and I don't think it's too much to ask to, as he writes, "requir[e] people to stand up in public for their political acts". This particular case was about whether public disclosure of referendum signatures violated the first amendment. I don't even consider the "secret ballot" to be a democratic right or fundamental, though it may be preferable logistically. All in all, I think it's far better to have a society which encourages free and open discussion of political issues and "political citizens", as it were, rather than one in which politics and political opinions are treated more like intimate secrets.

Practically speaking, though, I certainly understand that there are many informal situations in which people just plainly feel uncomfortable expressing their opinions, and I don't suggest that they be made to in any way. I'm in political science; perhaps I'm more used to heated political discussions than some others, and that's fine. I also wouldn't tend to discuss personal views unprompted, especially with faculty, but if the conversation turns that way, I don't mind. Part of it may be because I don't have any particularly extreme, "button-pushing" views, so to speak, and I don't think I'm doctrinaire or ideological about anything, really. I have preferences, of course, but I'm actually quite dispassionate about politics, which perhaps is strange in my discipline, but which I hope benefits me as an observer and analyst.

[Sigaba]

Do any of your refrain from discussing your personal beliefs about controversial/political issues with faculty or other members of your program?

If those issues are within the specific field of study, one should speak one's mind provided one is willing to receive responses you might not like hearing.

If those issues are of a more general nature, I recommend holding one's cards close to the vest especially when talking to fellow graduate students.

Edited July 26, 2011 by Sigaba

[long_time_lurker]

Do any of your refrain from discussing your personal beliefs about controversial/political issues with faculty or other members of your program? I am entering grad school after working for 3 years and in my workplace, discussing these sorts of issues with co-workers was strongly discouraged. Is it the same for grad school? Obviously the coursework for some disciplines (e.g., political science, law) may warrant such discussion, but I'm wondering what the majority of grad students experience.

I would treat it the same way. There are certain places politics and religion should not be discussed: bars, work, among others. So certainly I would never bring up politics in any class, seminar, or lab unless it was directly related to the topic, and even then you have to be careful to stick to the facts and leave opinion out of it.

Of course if you are talking amongst your cohort on a social basis, then that is different. Then any topic is fair game.

[rising_star]

I would treat it the same way. There are certain places politics and religion should not be discussed: bars, work, among others. So certainly I would never bring up politics in any class, seminar, or lab unless it was directly related to the topic, and even then you have to be careful to stick to the facts and leave opinion out of it.

Of course if you are talking amongst your cohort on a social basis, then that is different. Then any topic is fair game.

This may vary by discipline. Politics are often central to understanding the projects the people in my program choose so they come up pretty frequently, both in class and beyond. We also frequently discuss contemporary politics and topics like gay marriage.