Cherian George
{{Short description|Singaporean journalism professor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
Cherian George is a Singaporean academic, currently a professor of Media Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University.
Early life and education
Cherian George studied at Saint Andrew's School, Singapore, and Hwa Chong Junior College for his pre-university education.{{Cite web |last= |date=25 August 2014 |title=10 prominent Singaporeans who graduated from Hwa Chong Junior College {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/10-prominent-singaporeans-who-graduated-from-hwa-chong-junior-college |access-date=22 March 2022 |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}} He then graduated from the University of Cambridge with a bachelor's degree in social and political sciences. Thereafter, he attained his master's degree from Columbia University's School of Journalism.{{Cite web |title=Prof. Cherian George {{!}} HKBU {{!}} Department of Journalism |url=http://jour.hkbu.edu.hk/ |access-date=22 March 2022 |website=jour.hkbu.edu.hk |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=The S'porean whose bright academic career in S'pore ended for non-academic reasons |url=https://mothership.sg/2017/10/the-sporean-whose-bright-academic-career-in-spore-ended-for-non-academic-reasons/ |access-date=22 March 2022 |website=mothership.sg |language=en}}
Journalism career
Cherian George worked as a journalist at The Straits Times for a decade, of which he was its art and photo editor for three years.{{Cite web |title=Control of mainstream media in S'pore must be reviewed: media experts |url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/existing-press-controls-in-s-pore-must-be-urgently-reviewed--media-experts.html |access-date=22 March 2022 |website=sg.news.yahoo.com |language=en-SG}}{{Cite web |last=Cheong |first=Suk-Wai |date=21 February 2017 |title=Nipping hate spin in the bud {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/nipping-hate-spin-in-the-bud |access-date=22 March 2022 |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}} He was also assigned to the paper's political desk during his initial years there. He then went to Stanford University where he was awarded Doctor of Philosophy in communications.{{Cite web |title=Cherian George |url=https://journalism2020.univie.ac.at/keynotes/cherian-george/ |access-date=22 March 2022 |website=journalism2020.univie.ac.at |language=en}} During his time with the paper, he had established himself as a critic of the Singapore government and the nation's politics, and was mentioned in a quote alongside Catherine Lim, who wrote a commentary criticising the then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, by Lee Kuan Yew.
Academic career
In 2004, Cherian George became a faculty member at Nanyang Technological University's Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information. In 2009, he was promoted from assistant professor to associate professor. However, the promotion came without tenure. In 2010, he was not reappointed as the head of journalism department in the faculty, as it was blocked by the university. He was however awarded a teaching excellence award from NTU.{{Cite web |last=Teng |first=Amelia |date=2013-05-01 |title=NTU rejects appeal by professor against decision not to grant tenure {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ntu-rejects-appeal-by-professor-against-decision-not-to-grant-tenure |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}} In 2012, he was asked to resubmit his tenure application, to which he attached the assessment from his 2009 promotion and tenure application. The assessments was redacted without his knowledge, and the reapplication failed.
In 2013, there was a debate over academic freedom in Singapore when Cherian George, an outspoken academic at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communications who had publicly criticised Singapore's system of media control and its ruling People's Action Party,{{cite web |title=NTU professor denied tenure may have to leave job |url=http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ntu-professor-denied-tenure-may-have-to-leave-job--142039295.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619205652/http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ntu-professor-denied-tenure-may-have-to-leave-job--142039295.html |archive-date=19 June 2013 |access-date=1 May 2013}} did not get tenured. Although George had been recommended for tenure by the Wee Kim Wee School, his application was turned down by a university-level committee which included representatives from the Government of Singapore. One of the reviewers for the tenure case, Cardiff University's Karin Wahl-Jorgensen, expressed outrage at NTU's decision,{{cite web |title=NTU clarifies tenure process after outcry |url=http://sg.news.yahoo.com/denial-of-tenure-to-ntu-associate-professor-sparks-outcry-125052804.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619032402/http://sg.news.yahoo.com/denial-of-tenure-to-ntu-associate-professor-sparks-outcry-125052804.html |archive-date=19 June 2013 |access-date=1 May 2013}} and George's thesis advisor, Stanford University's Theodore Glasser, raised doubts about "NTU's reputation as a university of international standing" and "NTU's commitment to academic freedom".{{cite web |title=NTU clarifies tenure process after outcry |url=http://spuddings.net/2013/03/11/a-letter-from-professor-theodore-glasser/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130703113238/http://spuddings.net/2013/03/11/a-letter-from-professor-theodore-glasser/ |archive-date=3 July 2013}} Despite a petition against the tenure decision by students at the Wee Kim Wee School, George's appeal against the tenure decision was subsequently rejected by the university.{{cite web |title=NTU rejects outspoken professor's tenure appeal |url=http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ntu-rejects-outspoken-professor-s-tenure-appeal-115504121.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502035650/http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ntu-rejects-outspoken-professor-s-tenure-appeal-115504121.html |archive-date=2 May 2013 |access-date=1 May 2013}}{{Cite web |last=Ang |first=Jolene |date=10 June 2019 |title=NUS accepts recommendations for tougher penalties on sexual misconduct; minimum 1-year suspension for serious offences |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/nus-accepts-all-recommendations-by-committee-on-sexual-misconduct-cases |access-date=13 April 2021 |website=The Straits Times |language=en}}
In August 2014, George took up the post of vice professor at Hong Kong Baptist University.{{Cite web |date=10 May 2014 |title=Outspoken academic Cherian George takes up post at Hong Kong Baptist University |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1508715/outspoken-academic-cherian-george-takes-post-hong-kong-baptist |url-access=subscription |access-date=23 March 2022 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Cheong |first=Danson |date=6 January 2015 |title=Journalism professor Cherian George rebuts NTU's comments {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/journalism-professor-cherian-george-rebuts-ntus-comments |access-date=23 March 2022 |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}}
In 2015, NTU president Bertil Andersson, in an interview with Times Higher Education, rejection of George's tenure application was based on academic decisions and not political.{{Cite web |date=2014-12-04 |title=Singapore is 'Asia lite' for Western universities |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/singapore-is-asia-lite-for-western-universities/2017277.article |url-access=registration |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=Times Higher Education (THE) |language=en}} However, George rebutted the comments as it implied that he left the university as he could not meet its academic standards. However, he was "given political reasons for the university's decisions" with respect to the rejection of his 2009 tenure application.{{Cite web |date=2015-01-15 |title=Row between 'forced exit' scholar and NTU reignites |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/row-between-forced-exit-scholar-and-ntu-reignites/2017890.article |url-access=registration |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=Times Higher Education (THE) |language=en}}
In 2020, after the book which he wrote with Donald Low, PAP v PAP: the party's struggle to adapt to a changing Singapore was published, both him and Low were replaced panellists for a public discourse webinar hosted by a National University of Singapore (NUS) alumni group at the eleventh hour. The last minute replacement was received negatively by various political commentators and personalities.{{Cite web |title=NUS alumni group replaces academics Cherian George, Donald Low as panellists for public discourse webinar |url=https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/nus-alumni-group-replaces-academics-cherian-george-donald-low-upcoming-webinar-public |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=TODAY |language=en}}{{Cite web |last1=Yuen |first1=Sin |last2=Koh |first2=Fabian |date=2020-10-29 |title=Academics Cherian George, Donald Low replaced as speakers in webinar organised by NUS alumni group {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/academics-cherian-george-donald-low-replaced-as-speakers-in-webinar-organised-by |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}}
In 2021, his book Red Lines: Political Cartoons and the Struggle against Censorship was banned in Singapore due to the reproductions of materials deemed offensive to religions such as Charlie Hebdo
Personal life
Cherian George is married to Zuraidah Ibrahim, who was a deputy editor at The Straits Times before working at South China Morning Post, managing its international desk before eventually becoming its managing editor.{{Cite web |title=What next after SCMP's top-level changes? EJINSIGHT - ejinsight.com |url=https://www.ejinsight.com/eji/article/id/1178453/20151109-what-next-after-scmps-top-level-changes |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=EJINSIGHT}}{{Cite web |title=South China Morning Post |url=https://corp.scmp.com/about-us/corporate-executives/ |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=South China Morning Post Publishers Limited |language=en-US}} Zuraidah is a sibling of Yaacob Ibrahim, a former Singaporean politician who had held various ministry portfolios in the Singapore government.{{Cite web |title=Why join PAP when 'they have treated us badly'? Yaacob Ibrahim reflects on being a Malay MP, minister, & why he still wears white |url=https://mothership.sg/2021/05/yaacob-ibrahim-interview/ |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=mothership.sg |language=en}}
Bibliography
Selected works :
- {{Cite book |last=George |first=Cherian |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/45891380 |title=Singapore : the air-conditioned nation : essays on the politics of comfort and control, 1990-2000 |date=2000 |publisher=Landmark Books |isbn=981-3065-46-X |location=Singapore |oclc=45891380}}
- {{Cite book |last=George |first=Cherian |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/61361601 |title=Contentious journalism and the Internet : toward democratic discourse in Malaysia and Singapore |date=2006 |publisher=University of Washington Press |isbn=0-295-98578-X |location=Seattle |oclc=61361601}}
- {{Cite book |last=George |first=Cherian |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/992463091 |title=Hate spin : the manufacture of religious offense and its threat to democracy |date=2017 |isbn=978-0-262-33608-6 |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts |oclc=992463091}}
- {{Cite book |last=George |first=Cherian |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1196822675 |title=PAP v PAP : the party's struggle to adapt to a changing Singapore |date=2020 |others=Donald Low |isbn=978-981-14-7658-7 |location=Singapore |oclc=1196822675}}
- {{Cite book |last=George |first=Cherian |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1184458509 |title=Air-conditioned nation revisited : essays on Singapore politics |date=2020 |isbn=978-981-14-4984-0 |location=Singapore |oclc=1184458509}}
- {{cite book |last1=George |first1=Cherian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gfgLEAAAQBAJ |title=Red Lines: Political Cartoons and the Struggle against Censorship |last2=Liew |first2=Sonny |publisher=MIT Press |year=2021 |isbn=978-0-262-36691-5 |pages=}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://cheriangeorge.net/}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Hwa Chong Junior College alumni
Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge
Category:Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alumni
Category:Stanford University alumni
Category:Singaporean journalists
Category:Academic staff of Nanyang Technological University
Category:Academic staff of Hong Kong Baptist University
Category:Singaporean male writers
{{DEFAULTSORT:George, Cherian}}