David Miller
"anti-semite" David Miller (academic) | |
---|---|
Born | May 1964 |
Founder of | Organisation for Propaganda Studies, Powerbase, Spinwatch |
Member of | Working Group on Syria Propaganda and Media |
Victim of | • anti-semitism • smear campaign |
Interests | • “Social power” • PR • propaganda • fake news • “terrorism” |
Interest of | "Philip Cross" |
Not to be confused with the David Miller (ADS) who was Finance Director of Aegis Defence Services.
David Miller is a UK academic who founded Spinwatch and Powerbase (both highly recommended and both helpful in the starting of this website) and co-founded the Organisation for Propaganda Studies. He was a "well-established and influential professor of sociology known for his work on propaganda" at the University of Strathclyde (2004–2011), then the University of Bath (2011-2018) and finally the University of Bristol (2018-2021) whence he was dismissed after a "relentless character assassination campaign [that] smeared him as antisemitic".[1] An employment tribunal subsequently ruled that Miller had been unlawfully sacked, and ordered Bristol University to pay substantial damages.[2]
In October 2024, the employment tribunal published its 120-page judgment setting out why Miller’s beliefs warranted protection under antidiscrimination laws. Passing the ruling, the employment judge Rohan Pirani said:
- “Although many would vehemently and cogently disagree with [Miller]’s analysis of politics and history, others have the same or similar beliefs.
- “We find that he has established that [the criteria] have been met and that his [anti-Zionist] belief amounted to a philosophical belief.”[3]
Contents
Career
Miller has written for The Guardian, including a 2015 article which began with the observation that "it’s becoming much harder for UK academics to discuss issues such as conflict and terrorism." He has also criticised Islamophobia.[4] A 2006 article "began by noting that "A succession of scandals in the US has revealed widespread government funding of PR agencies to produce 'fake news'. Actors take the place of journalists and the 'news' is broadcast as if it were genuine."[5] From 2013-2016 he was RCUK Global Uncertainties Leadership Fellow leading a project on understanding and explaining "terrorism" expertise in practice.
Sacking
On 1 October 2021, the University of Bristol – after a near 3 year-long pro-Israel lobbying campaign – fired David Miller.[6] Professor Piers Robinson wrote:
The pro-Israel lobby and the University of Bristol might think that they have secured a major victory in their campaign to silence critical debate on Israel, but they will not have the last word and, certainly, they will not have succeeded in silencing Professor Miller nor putting a stop to his essential work. Despite the personal loss, and unlike the University of Bristol, Professor Miller will emerge stronger and more influential than ever.[7]
Character assassination
On 26 October 2021, The Electronic Intifada reported that pro-Israel activist and former Bristol student turned journalist Sabrina Miller (no relation to David Miller) had been waging an all-out war on the professor via online petitions, social media and stories for mainstream news outlets.
Despite attempts to purge her online footprint of incriminating information, publicly available records made her agenda and that of the Zionist forces influencing her actions very clear.
Sabrina Miller declined to comment to The Electronic Intifada.[8]
Employment tribunal
In February 2022, David Miller took the University of Bristol to an employment tribunal on the grounds of direct belief discrimination, indirect discrimination because of belief contrary, harassment related to belief contrary, unfair dismissal, and wrongful dismissal. Miller claimed that the university unfairly and discriminatorily mistreated him during the course of the procedures, which ultimately resulted in his dismissal. He also claimed that since at least March 2019 he has been the target of a coordinated campaign by people and organisations opposed to his beliefs, with the ultimate goal of getting him fired.
On 5 February 2024, the employment tribunal said in its 108-page ruling that Miller had been wrongfully fired and had been subjected to prejudice because of his philosophical beliefs in violation of the UK's Equality Act 2010. In a statement on X, David Miller said the ruling was not just a victory for him but for all pro-Palestine campaigners across Britain:
- "I'm proud to say that, with this case, we have proven that anti-Zionist beliefs, of the sort that I articulated, should be protected."
Publications
His publications include "A Century Of Spin".
Documents by David Miller
Event Participated in
Event | Start | End | Location(s) | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
International Festival of Whistleblowing Dissent and Accountability | 8 May 2021 | 8 May 2021 | Internet | Whistleblowing event held in 2021. |
References
- ↑ https://propagandainfocus.com/the-perils-of-studying-propaganda/
- ↑ "A UK professor was unfairly fired over his anti-Zionist beliefs, a tribunal ruled"
- ↑ "Anti-Zionist beliefs ‘worthy of respect’, UK tribunal finds"
- ↑ "Profile David Miller"
- ↑ "The propaganda we pass off as news around the world"
- ↑ "Statement on Professor David Miller"
- ↑ "Democracy Lost: Propaganda, Character Assassination and the Campaign Against Professor David Miller"
- ↑ "Meet Sabrina Miller, the student who waged a campus war for Israel"