Audacious academics fearlessly putting their careers and freedom on the line

                                    

"In a mind-blowing breakthrough, two management guru´s...had published seven papers in a single issue of a...academic journal...one copy of the issue survived...I´m offering a reward of half a million, for anyone who will bring this copy to me..."

A few days ago, Retraction Watch, uncovered the fact that a business school has abruptly terminated the employment of a professor, citing his actions as detrimental to the university's reputation and that of its scholarly journal. The dismissed professor had shared an image of the table of contents from an issue of a journal published by his university. A part of the ironic text he posted on Twitter is shown above.  The name of the audacious professor who bore a very high cost for upholding honorable ethics is Muhammad Mohsin Butt https://retractionwatch.com/2023/11/08/exclusive-whistleblower-fired-after-raising-concerns-about-journal-articles-on-linkedin/#more-128219

The mentioned incidents transpired at a university in Pakistan. Nevertheless, it's noteworthy that in Turkey, brave researchers have endured imprisonment merely for publishing studies whose findings displeased the authorities in the country https://pacheco-torgal.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-unlikely-country-that-is-producing.html

Regrettably, many colleagues in Western universities, possibly due to a lack of awareness, may underestimate these prosecutory events by asserting that they did not occur in a Western country. To them, I must emphasize that prior to joining the University of Minho almost 15 years ago, I dedicated 9 years to another Portuguese Higher Education institution. However, my contract was not renewed just because I submitted a complaint to the General Inspectorate of Science and Higher Education that among other things highlighted the following: '...much more severe situations were outlined in an internal report...'relationships between teachers and students in exchange for grades' – without any resulting disciplinary action or, at the very least, an investigation process..." 

Even more troubling, in my country, (the very same country where a staggering 94% of individuals who were convicted of corruption are granted suspended sentences) a female researcher (Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues) endured a three-year jail sentence (2016-2019). This very harsh penalty stemmed from her outspoken dissatisfaction during the scrutiny of a grant award process. Employing language that was less than polite, she contested the conduct of the court judges overseeing the subsequent appeal procedures. https://www.publico.pt/2017/02/21/sociedade/noticia/supremo-rejeita-pedido-de-libertacao-da-bolseira-maria-de-lurdes-1762868

A few years ago, I proposed to the Portuguese Minister responsible for higher education and science that a measure should be implemented to require tenured professors to demonstrate a track record of engaging in intellectually challenging or controversial research or discourse, as discussed in Chomsky's essay on the responsibility of intellectuals.   In my perspective, if a professor has never found it necessary to exercise their tenure, it raises questions about their eligibility to maintain it. The guiding principle should be: tenure, use it or risk losing it. 

In a German city, there stands a monument bearing an inscription that can be read like this: 

"If you've lost your money, you've lost nothing, for with astute business dealings, it can be regained; if you lost your honor, much is forfeited, yet through heroic actions, it can be reclaimed; but if you lost your courage, you lost everything."

PS - Check the post "Scientists as Activists: Exploring the Motivations Behind their Drive" https://pacheco-torgal.blogspot.com/2019/10/scientists-as-activists.html