Karl Walling, a professor at Newport Naval War College in the US, has been placed on paid administrative leave after his comments during a lecture on Machiavelli and ethics were posted on YouTube. This is according to the education news site Insidehighered.com. <\/p>\n
The anonymous posting on YouTube accuses Walling of advocating rape. <\/p>\n
He had lectured on the title \u00bbJoseph Conrad and Niccolo Machiavelli on the Ethics and Strategies of Insurgency and Counterinsurgency.\u00ab<\/p>\n
In the edited portion of the talk that was posted on YouTube, Walling speaks about Machiavelli’s views on the goddess Fortuna, as a symbol of the luck that can make leaders succeed or fail. <\/p>\n
He cites Machiavelli\u2019s view that a strong leader does not surrender to Fortuna, but seeks to assert control, even when Fortuna resists, with the words:<\/p>\n
\u00bbWhat does a leader do when the bitch won’t put out?\u00ab and continues \u00bbReal men, real leaders do not take ‘No’ for an answer.\u00ab<\/p>\n[video:http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ihjlV-16EPs width:525 height:380 align:center]\n
Comments on YouTube have criticised Walling\u2019s choice of language, and he has since made an apology to the college.<\/p>\n
But in a later interview, Walling says that he never advocated rape, and that the 3 minute, 40 second video is just one part of a serious academic lecture.<\/p>\n
By leaving out the context before and after what was shown, his views were distorted, he says.<\/p>\n
Walling also says that to understand what he was saying requires someone to understand his pedagogy, to have heard the entire talk and to understand a little bit about Machiavelli.<\/p>\n
Indeed, the concluding portions of his talk which are not included in the video clip make it clear he rejects Machiavelli. <\/p>\n
The closing words of the talk, not on YouTube were,\u00bbyou can learn how to win from Machiavelli, but to deserve to win, that is a very different matter.\u00ab<\/p>\n
The professor, who is no longer on leave, is now considering legal action against the person who posted the truncated version of his lecture on YouTube.<\/p>\n
luci@adm.ku.dk<\/p>\n