Outspoken Singapore journalism professor denied tenure, sparking debate over ...

SINGAPORE – A Singapore journalism professor who has written extensively about the lack of media freedom in the city-state has been denied tenure a second time, and hundreds of his supporters at home and abroad are demanding to know why.

Supporters of Cherian George, an associate professor in journalism studies at the Nanyang Technological University’s School of Communication and Information, contend that his credentials are so strong that politics must be behind the university’s unwillingness to give him a permanent faculty position. His first application for tenure was rejected in 2009.

Karin Wahl-Jorgensen, a professor from Wales’ Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, said she was one of the outside experts who reviewed George’s case for tenure. She called him one of the “foremost public intellectuals in Singapore,” and called the rejection “incomprehensible and plainly absurd.”

“I can only speculate about the reasons for this decision not to grant tenure to someone known for being critical of the government but it does not make NTU or Singapore look good in the eyes of the international academic community, and raises serious questions about academic freedom,” Wahl-Jorgensen said in an email to The Associated Press.

The Southeast Asian country, known for its groomed image of efficient governance and political stability, has long been criticized by human-rights groups for using measures such as criminal and civil defamation to stifle opposition voices critical of the government and its leaders. The People’s Action Party has ruled since 1959 but has seen support drop in recent years as discontent grows over the high cost of living, an influx of foreigners and rising income inequality.

A former journalist, George holds degrees from Cambridge and Columbia University and obtained his doctorate from Stanford University. He is known for his books such as “Freedom From The Press,” which assessed the state of media and politics in Singapore.

Nanyang Technological University did not respond directly to queries from the Associated Press. In a media statement Tuesday evening, the public university said it has a “rigorous tenure process” in place but added that “as all employment matters are confidential, NTU will not comment on any specific cases.”

George said he learned of the rejection last week, but he declined to comment further. A former student of his, Bhavan Jaipragas, began a petition demanding that the university disclose reasons behind its decision to deny George tenure, along with details on how it assesses the teaching quality of faculty members seeking tenure.

The petition had received about 800 signatories by Wednesday. Bhavan said copies were to be delivered later that day to NTU’s president and other key university leaders.

“There are complaints of curtailment of academic freedom and we want the university to categorically assure the student body there is no policy of curtailment and political discrimination,” said Bhavan. “We don’t want them to just say it but to prove it to us.”

The issue has reignited debate over freedom of thought in Singapore’s universities, a debate that also has brought attention to a joint venture between Yale University and the National University of Singapore to open a liberal arts college in the city-state. Enrollment begins in July this year.

Some Yale academics have criticized the move, accusing the university of compromising its values for being involved in a country where freedom of assembly is restricted and homosexual activity banned. The president of Yale-NUS, Pericles Lewis, has said the college has received guarantees that academic freedom will be protected.

Outspoken Singapore journalism professor denied tenure, sparking debate over ...