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Safe Space

Universities teach students by introducing new ideas and challenging assumptions. So why are some students rebelling by insisting that certain themes should not be heard?

The ideal university experience is expected to train the minds of students by exposing them to new ideas and challenging their assumptions. Why then, in the English speaking west at least, are some students rebelling against this principle by insisting there are some ideas which are so abhorrent they should not be heard? To them a university should be a safe space. In this edition of the Why Factor, Mike Williams tries to discover where the balance lies between freedom of speech and protection from offence and asks what exactly is a safe space?

Producer: Sandra Kanthal

Image: Students sharing space on campus (Credit: Rawpixel/ Shutterstock)

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18 minutes

Last on

Mon 6 Jun 201614:32GMT
BBC World Service except News Internet

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  • Fri 3 Jun 201621:32GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & News Internet
  • Mon 6 Jun 201601:32GMT
    BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean
  • Mon 6 Jun 201602:32GMT
    BBC World Service Online, UK DAB/Freeview & Europe and the Middle East only
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    BBC World Service East and Southern Africa & Europe and the Middle East only
  • Mon 6 Jun 201614:32GMT
    BBC World Service except News Internet

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