On Wednesday it was revealed that 150 Oxford academics are boycotting Oriel College and refusing to teach its students in protest at its decision to keep the Cecil Rhodes statue. Steerpike has been sent a copy of the letter – which sets out the academics’ collective view that ‘Oriel College’s decision not to remove the statue of Cecil Rhodes undermines us all’ – and a full list of the co-signatories, republished here for the first time.
Reading through, Mr S was struck by the number of proud imperialists who gave their names to posts currently held by the anti-Rhodes protesters. Given their objection to ‘Oriel’s stubborn attachment to a statue that glorifies colonialism and the wealth it produced for the College,’ Steerpike wondered whether if having such titles can be considered consistent with fervent anti-colonial activities.
Danny Dorling, for instance, is the Halford Mackinder professor of geography at St Peter’s College, Oxford – a post named after the European expeditioner who was suspected of killing eight porters on a trip to climb Mount Kenya in 1899.
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