Hungary Bans Gender Studies at Unis

[Shrillland]

From Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/08/11/hungarys-populist-government-abolishes-gender-studies-courses.html

And from the more centre-left Hungarian newspaper Nepszava: https://nepszava.hu/3004604_megszolalt-gender-ugyben-a-ceu-elutasitjuk-a-cenzurat

Hungary’s populist government is stopping universities from offering courses in gender studies, saying there is no need for graduates in the labor market and they take taxpayer money away from other programs.

The move, announced this week, comes after Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government won a comfortably majority in elections in April after an election focused primarily on immigration. Since then his Fidesz Party has been implementing key parts of its election manifesto.

In a statement, Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said that there is “no demonstrable demand for graduates of ‘social gender studies’ in the Hungarian labor market.
“There is no economic rationale for studies such as these, and so we have reason to presume that it was not created in response to labor market needs, and equally not to furnish students with skills that can be readily and directly converted on the labor market,” he said. It is also questionable to what extent studies with admittedly such low student numbers are economical and sustainable.”

Hungary’s HVG said that it would only affect two of the country’s universities, but also that such courses had been in the government’s crosshairs for a while.

Critics of the nationalist government say that Orban has been engaging in authoritarian tactics and this move is likely only to fuel such claims.

But Kovacs, the government spokesman, said that such programs “take valuable resources away from other programs, and deteriorate the economic stability of universities.”

“State universities operated from public funds must take this into consideration as the purpose of these higher education institutions is to meet genuine social and labour market needs,” he said.

Earlier this year, his government implemented a “Stop Soros” package aimed at Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros.

HUNGARY'S PRO-TRUMP, POPULIST GOVERNMENT PUSHES SOROS CRACKDOWN

The package includes a law that makes it illegal for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to organize illegal immigration into the country. Such organization can range from financial support to the distribution and preparation of information and pamphlets.

Soros’ Open Society Foundation has moved its Budapest offices to Berlin shortly after the election amid what it described as a “repressive political and legal environment.”

Simply put, Orban's forcing Hungary's two largest universities to get rid of gender studies courses claiming that they're not productive and that universities exist to serve the labour market, which these courses don't really do.

What say you, NSG?

Me personally, no they don't serve the labour market, but that's not the point of universities. The point is to educate people in any course that they choose. Orban should just come out and say that he and Fidesz are trying to reinforce gender roles.

[El-Amin Caliphate]

Why tho?

[Ifreann]

hungary

no

hungary

pls

stahp

[Terra Novae Libero]

I always thought that it was odd for Gender Studies to be their own subject. Surely it should just be an aspect of sociology/anthropology

[Shrillland]

Why tho?

As I said, the government's claim is that they don't serve that the purpose of universities: To serve and improve the nation's labour market. I don't agree with the idea that colleges should only serve to make people ready for work, and I don't think Orban's telling the full truth about why he's doing this.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Gender studies might be a meme but banning it is pretty silly.

[NeuPolska]

This is probably fine

There's zero point in getting a degree in gender studies

[Luminesa]

While I'm far from a gender studies major, I think this does open a dangerous precedent. Any class could at some point be deemed "non-profitable", and thus could be axed. I don't like this decision. Majors shouldn't be kept simply because they are "profitable", but because people wish to learn and to enrich their knowledge of a subject.

[Hammer Britannia]

Gender studies might be a meme but banning it is pretty silly.

It's not like this is the first time Europeans have tried to ban memes

[Xmara]

What can you use a gender studies degree for though? Serious question, because I can't think of anything off the top of my head. If anyone here knows, please give me an answer.

Anyway, I don't think the government should abolish any degrees at universities. I think universities have the right to teach what they want to, no matter what the labor market is.

[Uxupox]

It's a worthless major not worth anybody's time but still it shouldn't be banned.

[Dooom35796821595]

I could understand ensuring it doesn’t get state subsidies, but banning it? Too authoritarian Orban, even for you. Boo Orban, boo.

It was never a good sign when Hungary chose a leader with ban in his name.

[Teutonican Empire]

One one hand, it's a shit subject that sets people up for a failure, but am I really okay with a government banning a class because they don't like it? I'm so conflicted.

[Ifreann]

Why tho?

As I said, the government's claim is that they don't serve that the purpose of universities: To serve and improve the nation's labour market. I don't agree with the idea that colleges should only serve to make people ready for work, and I don't think Orban's telling the full truth about why he's doing this.

It really smacks of appealing to right wing "hurr gender studies is cancer" types.

[Vozh]

*breathe in*


both sides are wrong

[Shrillland]

This is probably fine

There's zero point in getting a degree in gender studies

Maybe not, but that doesn't mean that the government should forbid them from being available for those who want them.

[Luminesa]

As I said, the government's claim is that they don't serve that the purpose of universities: To serve and improve the nation's labour market. I don't agree with the idea that colleges should only serve to make people ready for work, and I don't think Orban's telling the full truth about why he's doing this.

It really smacks of appealing to right wing "hurr gender studies is cancer" types.

> Durr all right-wingers think this is okay!

Really? Are we really going to make this about that?

[Hammer Britannia]

What can you use a gender studies degree for though? Serious question, because I can't think of anything off the top of my head. If anyone here knows, please give me an answer.

Anyway, I don't think the government should abolish any degrees at universities. I think universities have the right to teach what they want to, no matter what the labor market is.

this website sums it up perfectly. It calls "Theater Staff" a profession you can get with a gender studies degree

[Costa Fierro]

Excellent. More countries should do the same.

[Ifreann]

Excellent. More countries should do the same.

Costa no.

[Major-Tom]

Gender studies is kinda a useless degree in most places, but why ban it? If someone wants to major in gender studies, let 'em. Just as useful/useless as a "communications" degree or any other broad degree, but nobody wants to ban those. This is just a move for political brownie points from an increasingly autocratic government. Pass.

[Uxupox]

What can you use a gender studies degree for though? Serious question, because I can't think of anything off the top of my head. If anyone here knows, please give me an answer.

Anyway, I don't think the government should abolish any degrees at universities. I think universities have the right to teach what they want to, no matter what the labor market is.

this website sums it up perfectly. It calls "Theater Staff" a profession you can get with a gender studies degree

I highly disagree that a person who studied gender studies could be called a Nurse practitioner.

[Hammer Britannia]

this website sums it up perfectly. It calls "Theater Staff" a profession you can get with a gender studies degree

I highly disagree that a person who studied gender studies could be called a Nurse practitioner.

Or a Law enforcement officer for that matter

[Costa Fierro]

Excellent. More countries should do the same.

Costa no.

Costa yes.

Gender studies is kinda a useless degree in most places, but why ban it? If someone wants to major in gender studies, let 'em. Just as useful/useless as a "communications" degree or any other broad degree, but nobody wants to ban those. This is just a move for political brownie points from an increasingly autocratic government. Pass.

Probably because gender studies degrees are essentially indoctrination courses. The whole point of a university is to receive additional education, not be dictated what to believe by a professor detached from reality.

[Thermodolia]

Meh. Gender studies is a really dumb thing. Hungary also did a dumb banning it. Overall meh.