Academia Becoming Less Open to Conservative Scholars, Says Political Scientist
This week, the American Political Science Association (APSA) is holding its 119th annual meeting in Los Angeles, bringing together thousands of social scientists. However, one political scientist is raising concerns about the growing ideological bias within academia and its impact on conservative scholars. Robert Maranto, who has attended nearly every APSA meeting since 1984, questions whether academia remains open to diverse perspectives.
Maranto, a self-professed Republican in a field dominated by left-leaning scholars, recalls a time when political science had a big enough tent for conservatives. He credits his success as a political scientist to mentors who encouraged him to explore new ideas from a conservative perspective. These mentors challenged his thinking and even helped him publish a scholarly book that debunked the notion that the Reagan administration was uniformly anti-bureaucracy. Maranto also acknowledges the influence of scholars who engaged in constructive debates, modifying their views based on new evidence.
However, Maranto fears that the open-mindedness he experienced early in his career is fading. He points out that the APSA governing council no longer includes any open Republicans among its 31 members, leaving half the country politically unrepresented within the organization. He also highlights the lack of conservative representation within APSA, which he believes is a disservice to intellectual diversity and representation.
Maranto further highlights the growing pressure on APSA to conform to left-leaning ideologies. In recent years, APSA conferences have avoided red states and shifted towards purple or blue states due to pressure from activists. He cites the example of the 2021 conference, which was forced to move online at the last minute due to activist threats of violence against right-wing panels associated with the Claremont Institute. Maranto, while disagreeing with the views of John Eastman, a Claremont Institute scholar, argues that engaging in debate and challenging ideas is crucial, rather than banishing certain viewpoints.
Maranto concludes by expressing his concern that younger APSA members, influenced by critical theory, may not fully appreciate the importance of pluralism and open debate. He believes that giving up on pluralism is ultimately giving up on the APSA and on America itself.
While Maranto’s views may not represent those of the University of Arkansas or the Society for Open Inquiry in the Behavioral Sciences, he raises important questions about the state of political science and academia’s openness to diverse perspectives. The growing ideological bias within academia and its impact on conservative scholars is a topic that warrants further discussion and reflection.
[Original Article](https://thehill.com/opinion/politics/570997-academia-becoming-less-open-to-conservative-scholars-says-political)
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