JSPES, Vol. 31, No. 4 (Winter 2006 )
pp. 459 - 468

Political Correctness, Evangelicalism and Student Rebellion at British Universities

Edward Croft Dutton

Oulu University, Finland

This article will examine Political Correctness at British universities and its effect on and relationship with student evangelical groups. Drawing upon the anthropological method, it will argue that, for many, contemporary student evangelical groups involve a 'student rebellion' in relation to Political Correctness. Thus, it will be demonstrated that the Christian Union is Politically Incorrect and contains a minority from non-evangelical backgrounds for whom its views and lifestyle might be seen as a kind of rebellion. The group has experienced considerable difficulties with the Politically Correct Student Union, as will be demonstrated. The article will further examine the evangelical student group Speak which it will argue - though fundamentally evangelical - is Politically Correct. Following various definitions of Political Correctness, it will be argued that Speak's rise can be seen as a kind of 'student rebellion' amongst conservative evangelicals. Thus, Political Correctness is both a means of student rebellion and an object against which students are rebelling depending on religious background.