A British professor due to receive an honorary doctorate in Turkey has had the award rescinded by governmental decree due to his vocal criticism of religion.
Istanbul Kültür University had offered the distinction to Peter Atkins in recognition of “the profound impact” of his scientific work, and his “extraordinary influence as one of the most celebrated educators of our time”.
Atkins is a professor emeritus of physical chemistry and fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, who has published over 80 textbooks worldwide.
He is also a prominent atheist and critic of religion in public life, who has argued that science, not religion, holds the answers to the fundamental questions of human existence.
But last week, after accepting the university’s invitation, Professor Atkins was informed by his host that it was to be revoked.
Presentations of honorary degrees in Turkey are now required to obtain governmental approval, and in Professor Atkins’ case, this approval was denied.
Though the decree itself was confidential, Atkins’ host was able to share that the decision related to his publicly expressed views on religion, and that the university’s response was one of “disappointment and perplexity”. The institution has no right of appeal.
Professor Atkins has been offered a ‘Prize for Excellence in Science and Education’ in place of the original doctorate. The university is permitted to confer such a prize without approval, and emphasised it was intended in “the same spirit of respect, gratitude, and recognition for [his] exceptional impact on science and education”.
Government powers a risk to free expression
The ability of the Government to veto academic awards is part of sweeping educational reforms by the current administration, led by president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Governmental clearance is now required for university recruitment, and a law passed last year granted the president sole authority to appoint university rectors – a change which had previously been ruled unconstitutional by Turkey’s highest court.
Erdoğan has pursued an agenda of Islamisation in Turkey, including educational policies designed to raise “pious generations” of religious Turks.
Religious state education has been vastly expanded and school curricula criticised by teaching unions as encouraging a “religious and nationalist mindset”.
Since a failed coup attempt in 2016, the Government has also dismissed over 6000 academics seen as ‘undesirable citizens’, including secularists. Human rights organisations say this has resulted in significant academic self-censorship, and Turkey is now ranked 164th out of 179 countries in the Academic Freedom Index.
NSS: state must not impose political religion on academic life
Professor Atkins told the National Secular Society that while he would accept the substitute prize, it was “regrettable that the Turkish Government uses religion to intrude into academic life”.
NSS spokesperson Fódhla Brady said: “The right to criticise religion is central to academic freedom.
“The Turkish Government’s denial of Professor Atkins’ award is just the latest example of its egregious use of censorship and state repression to erode the secular nature of the republic.
“Academic institutions must be free to recognise intellectual achievement free from political or religious interference.”