The main question I have is: what was the cartoon?
Swiss Ph.D student’s dismissal spotlights China’s influence
211–220 of 374 posts
Re: Swiss Ph.D student’s dismissal spotlights China’s influence
#212Earlier quoted context omitted.
Freedom of speech is protected only so much as the protection is enforced. It is not some sort of fundamental law. With weak-kneed politicians and indifferent population it inevitably erodes.
It actually is. It's a fundamental human right under the European Convention on Human Rights (to which Switzerland is a party) , Art. 10: "ARTICLE 10 Freedom of expression 1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This Article shall not preve…
"Stop quoting laws, we carry weapons!"
- Pompey the Great
Re: Swiss Ph.D student’s dismissal spotlights China’s influence
#213Earlier quoted context omitted.
There are plenty Chinese students unable to renew their visa to the US for 'national security' reasons.
Right, but is there is any evidence that any PhD student has ever found it hard to get a US visa because of criticizing the US or US policy?
Border control / consulates check social media profiles, a policy implemented by Trump, I wonder why.
Re: Swiss Ph.D student’s dismissal spotlights China’s influence
#214Earlier quoted context omitted.
Honestly, if I were a professor and my PhD student was overly critical of the US online, I too would distance myself. Visa applications are hard enough as they are.
Not only overly critical, the tweets had racist content and memes as well.
The article mentions a single tweet with a comic depiction that includes possibly exaggerated Asiatic features. Whether this kind of thing qualifies as “racist”… opinions may differ, especially since the article does not provide the original image.
Re: Swiss Ph.D student’s dismissal spotlights China’s influence
#215Earlier quoted context omitted.
Your take is not supported by any of the evidence. The email exchanges (as seen by the newspaper) show a friendly relationship up until the tweets.
Quote from the article: "The professor went on to explain that the relationship of trust had already been strained, because Gerber had «lost his temper» during a conversation a year earlier, and had told her that he no longer wanted to continue his doctorate at St. Gallen in any form, and no longer needed her as a doctoral supervisor."
Thats not evidence. That is just a claim made by the professor, which is denied by the former student and which, according the the article, is not reflected in the tone of the emails exchanged at this time, either.
Re: Swiss Ph.D student’s dismissal spotlights China’s influence
#216Earlier quoted context omitted.
Your take is not supported by any of the evidence. The email exchanges (as seen by the newspaper) show a friendly relationship up until the tweets.
Quote from the article: "The professor went on to explain that the relationship of trust had already been strained, because Gerber had «lost his temper» during a conversation a year earlier, and had told her that he no longer wanted to continue his doctorate at St. Gallen in any form, and no longer needed her as a doctoral supervisor."
I'd trust an email record over he-said / she-said claims.
"Losing temper" is quite vague; and evidently, it didn't warrant terminating the relationship until the tweets happened.
Let's not pretend the timing was a coincidence. The relationship was clearly terminated because of the tweets, which has nothing to do with the professor.
Re: Swiss Ph.D student’s dismissal spotlights China’s influence
#217Legally the university might have done nothing wrong. They had advised him to unregister to play tricks in order to avoid losing his study rights. A trick that is common if you study at more than one university. And works unless there is any kind of problem. However, the message is: If you deal with China today, either don't think, be a coward or a liar. China is an authoritarian country that increasingly exercises i…
Moreover they're worried. A lion doesn't care what the sheep thinks.
Re: Swiss Ph.D student’s dismissal spotlights China’s influence
#218Earlier quoted context omitted.
Probably this also saved the student some fees as well.
Could be true. Unlike in Germany and many other European countries university studies are not free of charge in Switzerland. No idea about PhD.
I'm not familiar with universities outside the ETH rules (ETHZ/EPFL only) but students are paid a salary at these universities and hold dual status as employees and students. I'm not sure if their tuition is waived. Even if they pay the same tuition as masters or bachelors students this is usually around 800-900 CHF per semester, the cost of 2-3 months health insurance. Not money you want to pay if you don't have to, but it isn't UK or US fees.
However there are definitely time limits. You would find it hard to be enrolled on a doctoral programme for 6 years or more especially if you aren't about to imminently graduate, and this is likely the main motivation behind the advice given the proposed 3 year break in China.
Re: Swiss Ph.D student’s dismissal spotlights China’s influence
#219Earlier quoted context omitted.
Supporting free Hong Kong and Taiwan isn’t really comparable to supporting ISIS. The “he is an anti Chinese racist” rhetoric seems stretched by the fact that he spent so much time there, his romantic partner is Chinese, he seems to have a friends network there.
Ah yes. The old, "I can't be racist. I have black friends" defense.
Somehow im guessing it goes
a bit deeper than “I have black friends” in this case. Althoug I haven’t seen the image referred to in the tweet, so maybe it was in very very bad taste and racist.
Re: Swiss Ph.D student’s dismissal spotlights China’s influence
#220The professor should be fired and the university punished (doubtful), but the student was also an idiot to do what he did. It’s not like he was some random guy who just tweeted at China, he lived in wuhan for years and has actual family there now, being critical of a totalitarian government in that scenario is the height of monumental stupidity. It’s ironic that the article paints him as methodological and thoughtful…
> being critical of a totalitarian government in that scenario is the height of monumental stupidity.
He’s not stupid, perhaps just naive. If only those with nothing at stake criticize a repressive regime then nothing would ever change.