Educating in a post-truth and post-trust era: A challenge for the UWC movement

Educating in a post-truth and post-trust era: A challenge for the UWC movement Topics Post-truth and post-trust Open & closed – the new political spectrum? Populism Somewheres & Anywheres Loss of belief in: democracy progress informal norms of public discourse Impact of social media THE CHALLENGE TO THE FUTURE UWC ALUMNI ELITE

Definition "circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief."

Example “In this era of post-truth politics, it is easy to cherry-pick data and come to whatever conclusion you desire"

‘the economic, social and cultural success of nations relates directly the trust that their people have in each other and in their institutions’

‘strangers learned to trust one another when signing contracts, allowing them to do deals outside the circles of family, tribal or in-group kinship’

With the result that the US no longer figures in the 2017 list of the (19) ‘full democracies’ EIU

UWC With the result that the US no longer figures in the 2017 list of the (19) ‘full democracies’ EIU

1990s THE END OF Berlin Wall Apartheid

2010s THE START OF new walls new battles

Left Right

Trump signs executive order banning Syrian refugees from US 2017-01-27 Trudeau welcomes first batch of Syrian refugees at Toronto airport 2015-12-11 Trump signs executive order banning Syrian refugees from US 2017-01-27

Open Education for a Closing World

John Judis

ELITE THE REST It is NOT: Politics Leftwing Populism - Socialist - Social democratic - Liberal, or - Progressive Politics Leftwing Populism ELITE THE REST

ELITE MAJORITY MINORITY It is NOT: Politics Rightwing Populism Conservative (either authoritarian or in defence of the business classes) Politics Rightwing Populism ELITE MAJORITY MINORITY

The Democracy Index is based on five categories: electoral process and pluralism; civil liberties; the functioning of government; political participation; and political culture. Based on its scores on a range of indicators within these categories, each country is then itself classified as one of four types of regime: “full democracy”; “flawed democracy”; “hybrid regime”; and “authoritarian regime”. 

2017: the global average score slides once more  “In the 2017 Democracy Index the average global score fell from 5.52 in 2016 to 5.48 (on a scale of 0 to 10). Some 89 countries experienced a decline in their total score compared with 2016…” 

“The title of this year’s report refers to the popular revolt in 2016 against political elites who are perceived by many to be out of touch and failing to represent the interests of ordinary people…” “A strong attachment to the post-war, liberal, democratic order makes it difficult for those on the losing side to come to terms with what happened in 2016”.

UWC education is grounded in a belief in progress

“Nothing is more responsible for the good old days than a bad memory” Franklin Pierce Adams (1861-1960) “Nothing is more responsible for the good old days than a bad memory”

Ten Reasons to Look Forward to the Future Food Sanitation Life expectancy Poverty Violence The environment Literacy Freedom Equality The next generation Ten Reasons to Look Forward to the Future

The Good Old Days ARE NOW!

Informal norms of public discourse Treat your opponents like legitimate adversaries, not illegitimate enemies You tell the truth as best you can You don’t make naked appeals to bigotry

Impact of social media “At the the dawn of the Internet, people hoped that free communication would lead to an epoch of peace, understanding and democratic communication. Instead, we’re seeing polarization, alternative information universes and the rise of autocracy” ”the social media platform actually buttresses authoritarian ends”.

Ole Petter Ottersen Rector, University of Oslo Faced with the prospect of a post-factual society, universities have to re-establish a respect for objective truth and powerful arguments – through our educational programmes and through our public outreach.  Ole Petter Ottersen Rector, University of Oslo

Ole Petter Ottersen Rector, University of Oslo We have to create many more arenas for debate – arenas that are open and inclusive so as to give a voice to those who feel left behind too. Universities should be trust-building as well as truth-seeking Ole Petter Ottersen Rector, University of Oslo

Ole Petter Ottersen Rector, University of Oslo In our age of turbulence these two words – trust and truth – are inextricably intertwined. University World News Ole Petter Ottersen Rector, University of Oslo

Our graduates ? Open Closed

Our graduates ? Inclusive Exclusive

Lester B. Pearson Prime Minister of Canada (1963-68) Nobel Peace Prize 1957 'How can there be peace without people understanding each other; and how can this be if they don't know each other?’

Successful societies Truth Trust Knowledge