Intellectual Suppression: Australian Case Histories, Analysis and Responses

edited by Brian Martin, C. M. Ann Baker, Clyde Manwell and Cedric Pugh

(Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1986), 304 pages. ISBN 0 207 15132 6

Out of print. Some copies are available from Brian Martin at no cost, with priority for libraries, organisations supporting dissent and dissidents outside Australia.

Selected chapters are available here.

Introduction, pp. 1-7

Part One: Cases

Jean Buckley-Moran, Australian scientists and the cold war, pp. 11-23

Evan Jones and Frank Stilwell, Political economy at the University of Sydney, pp. 24-38

Prejudice in granting research grants

• Richard Davis, Peer review and the Australian Research Grants Committee: a cautionary tale, pp. 50-55
• Peter W. Sheehan, The Australian Research Grants Scheme - reply to a cautionary tale, pp. 56-57
• Richard Davis, Reply to Professor Peter W. Sheehan, pp. 57-58
  

Brian Martin, Academic exploitation, pp. 59-62

Richard Routley and Val Plumwood, The 'Fight for the Forests' affair, pp. 70-73

Peter Springell, For the freedom to comment by scientists, pp. 74-78

Brian Martin, Science policy under the whip, pp. 79-86

Fruit fly, free speech and academic justice in Adelaide

• C. M. Ann Baker, The fruit fly papers, pp. 87-113
• G. M. Badger, Statement concerning the complaint by Professor H. G. Andrewartha against Professor C. Manwell, pp. 113-120
• F. J. O'Neill, Comments on The fruit fly papers, p. 121
• C. M. Ann Baker, Reply to the Registrar, p. 122

Brian Martin, Mutagens and managers, pp. 123-129

Brian Martin. Archives of suppression, pp. 164-181

Part Two: Analysis

Brian Martin, Elites and suppression, pp. 185-199

Cheryl Hannah, Who listens when women speak? The struggle for feminist critique in universities, pp. 200-212

Part Three: Responses

Editors, Options for dissidents, pp. 243-252

Brian Martin and Clyde Manwell, Publicising suppression, pp. 253-256

Brian Martin, Suppression and social action, pp. 257-263

From the back cover:
In Australia, as in other modern western democracies, the right to freedom of speech and inquiry is unquestioned. But do such freedoms exist, simply because we believe in them?

This book documents case histories of intellectual suppression occurring within the Australian academic and scientific community. Suppression may involved the blocking of funds, the denial of promotion or publication, outright harassment, the subtle undermining of reputation or, in its most extreme form, dismissal.

Intellectual Suppression examines the incidence of suppression in academic and scientific organisations and analyses it as a feature of wider power structures in society. Ways of opposing suppression are considered and detailed information is provided on how teaching and research are evaluated so that dissidents can challenge the official excuses often given for dismissal or blocked promotion.

The editors have all had first-hand experience with suppression cases and have studied the phenomenon extensively. With their own and invited contributions, they have compiled an invaluable handbook on a little-studied aspect of the academic and scientific world that has serious implications for the rest of society.