PR the new PC?

[Cambridge Crash]

I have detected a new term creeping into academia: 'Politically Responsible'. A colleague researching a terrorist issue was advised by mentors to drop the word terrorist on the basis that it is too emotive. Thus, when citing references, the word terrorist has to be placed in quotes or rendered in italics.

Now I am the first to accept the need to moderate language to reduce offence and to encourage inclusiveness, but I find the expression 'politcally responsible' a worrying challenge to academic freedom. Comments?

CC

[BEagle]

Utter Tab bolleaux!

What synonym do these tw@ts suggest? 'Freedom fighter', 'Counter-revolutionary'?

'Politically responsible' sounds like an oxymoron to me.

[Cambridge Crash]

The preferred term for terrorism is 'political violence'; don't have a particular problem with that (as it reasonably accurate) but I do have a problem with the pressure to 'tone down' contemporary accounts and use more neutral terminology. I take the point in some respects about this, for example, terms such as 'Negro' etc are unacceptable, but the concern is the pressure for self-censorship which can stifle discussion.

CC