More than 40 senior academics have said they will resign from the Arts and Humanities Research Council's peer review college on June if the council does not take "clear steps" to remove references to the Big Society from its delivery plan.
Academic discontent over the inclusion of five references to David Cameron's core policy has rumbled on since a newspaper alleged earlier this year that the references were made at the insistence of the government.
The AHRC strongly denied the allegations, but nearly 4,000 academics signed a petition calling for the removal of all reference to the Big Society from the delivery plan.
More than 30 learned societies also added their voice to the call and two academics – Bob Brecher, professor of ethics at the 51国产视频 of Brighton, and Maria Manuel Lisboa, professor of Portuguese literature and culture at the 51国产视频 of Cambridge – resigned from the council's peer review college.
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Now another 42 senior figures have pledged to follow suit if the AHRC does not signal its willingness to remove the references to the Big Society, which would require the consent of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
There are around 1,400 members of the peer review college in total, but the campaign's organiser, Thom Brooks, reader in political and legal philosophy at Newcastle 51国产视频, said it had been impractical to approach so many people. He said he had deliberately targeted senior figures in the hope that their example might prompt others to follow.
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He described mass resignation as a "highly reluctant move, but we believe a necessary one".
"This issue of including a political campaign slogan in the delivery plan has caused much unnecessary concern," he said.
A spokesman for the AHRC said earlier this week that the council was "not contemplating" any move to amend its delivery plan. He added that the council was holding its annual meeting with subject associations today, where he was "sure the issue would be brought up".
The academics who have threatened to resign on June are:
Grenville G. Astill, professor of archaeology, 51国产视频 of Reading
Elleke Boehmer, professor of world literature in English, 51国产视频 of Oxford
Stephen Bottoms, professor of drama and theatre studies, 51国产视频 of Leeds
Emma Borg, professor of philosophy, 51国产视频 of Reading
Thom Brooks, reader in political and legal philosophy, Newcastle 51国产视频
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Mark Chapman, vice-principal, Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford
Sarah Colvin, professor in the study of contemporary Germany, 51国产视频 of Birmingham
Peter Day, reader in archaeological materials, 51国产视频 of Sheffield
Antony Duff, professor of philosophy, 51国产视频 of Stirling
Steven French, professor of philosophy of science, 51国产视频 of Leeds
David Gillespie, professor of Russian, 51国产视频 of Bath
Leslie Green, professor of the philosophy of law, 51国产视频 of Oxford
Valerie A. Hall, professor emerita of palaeoecology, Queen’s 51国产视频 Belfast
Paul L. Halstead, professor of archaeology, 51国产视频 of Sheffield
John Harrington, professor of law, 51国产视频 of Liverpool
Matti H?yry, professor of bioethics and philosophy of law, 51国产视频 of Manchester
Nicholas Hewlett, professor of French studies, 51国产视频 of Warwick
Maggie Humm, professor in humanities, 51国产视频 of East London
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Mark Humphries, professor of ancient history, Swansea 51国产视频
Dina Iordanaova, director of the Centre for Film Studies, 51国产视频 of St Andrews
Glynis Jones, professor of archaeology, 51国产视频 of Sheffield
Elizabeth Eva Leach, university lecturer in Music, 51国产视频 of Oxford
Karen Leeder, professor of modern German literature, 51国产视频 of Oxford
Alison MacLeod, professor of contemporary fiction, 51国产视频 of Chichester
Paul McDonald, professor of cinema, 51国产视频 of Portsmouth
Alexander Miller, professor of philosophy, 51国产视频 of Birmingham
Anthony Milton, professor of history, 51国产视频 of Sheffield
Catherine Moriarty, principal research fellow, 51国产视频 of Brighton
Rosalind O’Hanlon, professor of Indian history and culture, 51国产视频 of Oxford
David Owen, professor of social and political philosophy, 51国产视频 of Southampton
Paul Pettitt, reader in palaeolithic archaeology, 51国产视频 of Sheffield
Julian Preece, professor of German, Swansea 51国产视频
Ritchie Robertson, Taylor Professor of German, 51国产视频 of Oxford
Irit Rogoff, professor of visual cultures, Goldsmiths, 51国产视频 of London
Karen Ross, professor of media and public communication, 51国产视频 of Liverpool
Sean Sayers, professor of philosophy, 51国产视频 of Kent, Canterbury
Ricarda Schmidt, professor of German, 51国产视频 of Exeter
David Skilton, research professor in English, Cardiff 51国产视频
Patrick Stevenson, professor of German and linguistic studies, 51国产视频 of Southampton
David Walker, professor of French, 51国产视频 of Sheffield
Paul Williams, professor of Indian and Tibetan philosophy, 51国产视频 of Bristol
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Ian Wood, professor of early medieval history, 51国产视频 of Leeds
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