Faced with political and academic pressure, Frédérique Vidal does not disarm.
The Minister of Higher Education indicated in an interview with the
JDD
that the investigation announced by her on Islamo-leftism at the university would indeed take place, while explaining that she wanted "
to raise the debate
".
"
We need an inventory of what is being done in research in France on these subjects
", she indicated, assuring that she wanted an investigation "
in the sociological sense of the term
".
To read also: Islamo-leftism: "When the wolf makes the lamb"
The minister found herself caught up in a controversy after denouncing on February 14 "Islamo-leftism" which, according to her, "
plagues society as a whole and the university is not impermeable
", before asking on Tuesday at the CNRS "
a review of all the research
" taking place in France, in order to distinguish between what is academic research and what is activism.
These declarations aroused strong reactions in the academic world, to the point that 600 academics (teachers, researchers ...) demanded on Saturday, in a column published by the newspaper
Le Monde
, his resignation, accusing him of "
raising the threat. intellectual repression
”.
Rejecting wanting to set up a “
thought police
”, Frédérique Vidal sees it as a “
process of intention
”, assuring on the contrary that she wants to “
deconstruct the idea that there would be a single thought on certain subjects and (... ) protect the pluralism of ideas at the university
”.
“
I am an academic.
I have always defended academic freedom and researchers,
”she says.
“
If academics who don't know me may have felt offended, that wasn't my intention.
Everyone must be able to express themselves, it is also in disagreement that we advance,
”said the Minister.
When she uses the term “
Islamo-leftism
”, the minister explains in the JDD that it is “
attacks against academic freedom and against freedom of expression in general
”.
And to add: “
We cannot let this go.
"
Frédérique Vidal for "
a rational and scientific approach
"
The CNRS had agreed on Tuesday to participate in the study requested by the minister on "
Islamo-leftism
", regretting, however, "
a controversy emblematic of an instrumentalisation of science
" and a "
political slogan [which] did not correspond to any scientific reality
”.
Read also: "Islamo-leftism" is an "unmistakable social fact", says Jean-Michel Blanquer
“
I want a rational and scientific approach to the subject.
We have to quantify things, get out of feeling and presupposition,
”says the Minister.
“
Academic freedoms, the freedom of research must be defended at all costs.
What I want is to know if these freedoms are not hampered in the work of researchers and teacher-researchers,
”she says.
Frédérique Vidal notes that "
this subject arouses a lot of reactions, but it is not our priority today
".
"
The priority is the situation of the students and the pandemic
".