Is Science a Tool of Colonization?
With Professor of Biology Kendall Clements
While in New Zealand, I had the opportunity to interview Kendall Clements, a professor of biology at the University of Auckland.
His name may sound familiar because, in 2021, Clements was the lead author of a controversial letter titled "In Defence of Science," published in The New Zealand Listener. The letter (commonly referred to as the “Listener Letter”) was a direct response to a proposed curriculum that sought to promote the discussion and analysis of how science has been used to support the dominance of Eurocentric views, including its role in the “colonization” of Māori peoples and the “suppression” of Māori knowledge. The curriculum also proposed that science itself, as a Western European invention, could be viewed as a tool of European dominance over Māori and other indigenous groups.
As a result of the letter's publication, Clements was removed from teaching duties, with accusations of racism leveled against him. Attempts to engage in a public debate on these issues were blocked, with no one on the opposing side willing to have an open discussion. Instead, efforts were made to cancel academics with differing viewpoints. Sound familiar? It’s the same political weaponization of the "racism" card, though from an indigenous perspective, aimed at undermining the scientific method in New Zealand.
Naturally, we discussed whether science can truly be considered a tool of colonization or if it is fundamentally evidence-based. What are the implications of tying science to traditions rather than empirical evidence? Is it racist to associate knowledge with race? At the end of our conversation, Kendall asked me about social constructivism and what we might expect from the Trump administration's stance on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) in the context of America's universities. Will academic freedom spread globally? Can it lead to new systems of creativity and innovation in education? Will universities once again be spaces where competing ideas can be discussed, debated, and celebrated, restoring legitimacy to academic discourse? Time will tell, but I am looking forward to the opportunity to help create new paths for students to think critically.
I've been to NZ three times (twice to visit a friend who'd moved to Wellington), so I had the opportunity to learn this: the Maori arrived around the 14th Century. So they're hardly comparable to the Australian Aboriginals or Native Americans, who were there for thousands or tens of thousands of years.
"As a result of the letter's publication, Clements was removed from teaching duties, with accusations of racism leveled against him. "
These are intimidation tactics that work because men today have become too soft. I get why so many especially college educated, think the promotion of sex equality, i.e. feminism, is good but it's not b/c men and women are not equal. Both deserve equal rights in society but even that is not what we have today. The feminization of society via feminism has made us soft. Thank God no string enemy has taken advantage of this. The last 4 years was the ideal time to attack America.
People, especially men, have to learn to stop go along just to get along People have to be told NO when they go to far and that include any women in your lives that you love or are trying to impress. We may have had something like an oppressive patriarchy up until the sexual revolution of the 60's/70's but back then people felt safe walking at night and they didn't need to be fearful that some affirmative action or DEI hire has done something foolish like recue fire emergency services budget and send money and supplies to fire depts in another nation or to fund a gay choir. The fact is not 1 single government employee at any level should be talking about sexuality as that is a private matter and has no business in public service.