Jason Stanley moved from the United States to Canada last September, leaving behind a high-profile position at Yale to take a job at the Munk School of Global Affairs in Toronto.

The fascism researcher said he made the move for one reason: academic freedom.

"That's the only reason. Nobody's coming to Canada for higher wages because you're not getting higher wages. You're getting lower retirement, lower salaries, sometimes more teaching. So it's academic freedom," Stanley said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

"Canada is never going to be able to match the top private universities in the United States in salaries and benefits. It should do as much as it can, but it'll never match them. So what Canada can do is offer freedom of speech, academic freedom and democracy."

Stanley is not alone. Post-secondary associations on both sides of the border report increased interest among American researchers in academic positions north of the 49th parallel.

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[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 16 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

I met a Chinese prof that left China after the Tiananmen Square problems, then left USA after trumps first term because he recognized the same government pattern coming, so he's in Canada now.

Hopefully we keep getting more talent

[–] zikzak025@lemmy.world 4 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

The brain drain to Canada is a good thing, but the only aspect I would be wary about is the concern over wages that they cite. If the US government ever tips back towards tolerance, I'd brace for the possibility that a lot of these academics go right back.

I could see the possibility that the average Canadian school becomes more desirable than "good" American ones for wealthier students who want to study abroad. But even then, I am not sure that the money would be there without inviting the abhorrent system of US-level student debt, which I'd like to hope they wouldn't do.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 5 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Honestly I don't think a lot of them would go back right away. It's like that old saying, "Once bit, twice shy."

If anything I think they'd be holding back moving so they could verify any positive changes in how the USA would operate would be permanent, and not just lip-service.

[–] NSAbot@lemmy.ca 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Some will move back, but I agree. I bet most people will stay. Once you have set up your life somewhere, uprooting again is daunting.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 hours ago

Yeah. I'm old now but have moved about a hundred times in my life. I hate it.

The one good thing about moving so often is I don't have a ton of stuff to pack.