[Peace-discuss] Political science as propaganda

[David Green]

Granted. A phone discussion with the U of I interviewer yielded the expected disclaimers regarding relative expertise. I admit that this particular issue rankles me more than the usual everyday nonsense, including in the broader media.
 
DG


>________________________________
> From: Laurie Solomon <ls1000 at live.com>
>To: David Green <davegreen84 at yahoo.com> 
>Cc: peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>; sf-core <sf-core at yahoogroups.com> 
>Sent: Saturday, February 2, 2013 9:59 PM
>Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Political science as propaganda
>  
>
>And how does this differ from what most academics do and have done since 
WWII and before?  What makes political science, political scientists, or 
social scientists differ from any other academic including physical scientists 
and engineers, business administration types, educators, or even fine arts types 
who have generally bought into the established positions and viewpoints and used 
their positions, credentials, authority, and work to legitimate and 
support  established policies, ideologies, and practices?  Why not 
point out that this particular  interview is but merely of an example of 
what is generally the case for what most academics do, think, support, and 
reinforce without any serious question or analysis.   You might also 
note that this is the sort of interview that journalist tend to also accept 
without any critical analysis or questioning as either unproblematic truths or 
non-extreme borderline opinions. 
>
>From: David Green  
>Sent: February 02, 2013 4:38 PM 
>To: peace-discuss ; sf-core at yahoogroups.com  
>Subject: [Peace-discuss] Political science as 
propaganda 
> The following letter in reference to the link below was submitted to the 
DI; a related letter will be submitted at a later date to the NG: 
>
>http://illinois.edu/lb/article/72/70237 
>  
>This letter responds to an 
interview with political science professor Damarys Canache about her native 
Venezuela, conducted by the University’s News Bureau and available on its 
website. It appeared in the News-Gazette on January 20th. 
>When asked why 
President Hugo Chavez has won honest elections, Canache refers to his “use of 
institutions and resources of the Venezuelan government to build and maintain a 
large base of electoral support.” She doesn’t mention significant decreases in 
poverty and increased access to education and medical care. Chavez has used oil 
wealth to benefit the majority. It’s not clear why this is not a legitimate, 
desirable process, nor how this makes Chavez’s programs different from our own 
history. Canache’s view of political science strongly implies that elected 
leaders should not respond to the basic survival needs of the majority that 
elects them. 
>Canache states: 
“Although Chávez has won three presidential elections, many scholars contend 
that Venezuela today is best characterized as a competitive authoritarian 
regime.” Again, it’s not clear why an elected leader using his constitutional 
authority to improve the lives of those who elected him is authoritarian rather 
than democratic; nor why Americans shouldn’t desire such outcomes in our own 
country. 
>The reality is that 
Chavez is demonized by American politicians and media because he opposes U.S. 
imperialism. We have historically supported ruthless Latin dictators as long as 
they complied with “U.S. national (read corporate) interests.” Canache invokes 
her academic authority to legitimize the propaganda that has for two centuries 
been used to justify violent American control of the hemisphere. I would suggest 
that her views reflect the petulance of privileged Venezuelans whose 
aristocratic authority has been undermined by a charismatic leader and a 
successful popular movement. This obviously is to the detriment of what is 
called “political science” on our campus.  
> 
>
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