In defence of bias

The paper seeks to show that the notion of bias at work in recent criticism of higher education curricula as ‘biased˚s does not stand analysis. Rather than attempting to rid their teaching of such ‘bias˚s, teachers have the responsibility to state and defend positions, however controversial: for the furthering of students' critical capacities and the cultivation of a critical and reflective autonomy—the root objective of higher education—depend precisely on such an approach. It is only possible to help develop people's capacity to question, criticise, reflect on their criticism and reconsider where such activity is actually practised; which in turn requires the presence of appropriate material as its subject.