And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!
Categories: protest
Tags: Sociology
Date: 17 November 2009 07:26:42
As a kid I used to sing Oranges and Lemons, it went like this:
"Oranges and lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clement's
You owe me five farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's
When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.
When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.
When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney
I do not know,
Says the great bell of Bow
Here comes a candle to light you to bed
And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!"
At the moment it seems like a topical song which could be ressurected and subverted to be the theme song of the recession, particularly with reference to higher education.
Not long after we hear that undergraduate biblical studies at Sheffield has been saved it appears that the fight has started to save another programme area in a top university......this time the Sociology department at Birmingham University.
The details of the campaign can be found on the "Keep Sociology at Birmingham" website. The lecturers, the majority of whom are likely to lose their jobs, have started a blog, "Save Birmingham Sociology".
There is a petition to sign in support of this, which asks for a fair and transparent review and the lifting of the threat of redundancies. Note they are not arguing against a review, they are asking for a fair review.
This campaign is being actively supported by the British Sociological Association amongst others.