Title Abuse and the Politics of Honor in Academia

Academies throughout the world are conclaves of distinguished scholars, who have voluntarily taken on the responsibility of promoting learning and knowledge production, towards national development. To be admitted to fellowship, and be given the title FGA in Ghana here, is indeed a very high recognition all young scholars and practicing scientists should aspire to.  

Standards Setting

“If the Academy recognizes high standards, so is it expected to draw attention to blatant infractions of academic norms and ethics that undermine academic integrity. The latter role could be exercised more explicitly under one clear objective of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, which is to establish and maintain high standards of endeavor in all fields of study. It is indeed not surprising that the Academy has emphasized the quest for excellence as the theme for its Golden Jubilee Celebrations.

In advocating excellence, and reinforcing compliance with academic norms and standards, it is my suggestion that GAAS, when or where necessary, should not shy away occasionally, from fishing in troubled waters.

I have in mind here the opportunity we have as an Academy, to boldly repudiate the gross misuse, abuse and sometimes the fraudulent uses of academic titles and academic honors, by impostors, and academic charlatans. I refer indeed to the current explosion of titles, honors, and awards of dubious quality and provenance.  The current proliferation of titles could indeed trigger a major devaluation of honors and academic credentials in this country. Some of the titles, particularly those purported to be international, turn out to be nothing but phony street side commodities that are subject to normal price negotiation and payment. Indeed the awards and honors industry is now a lucrative business, which has found fertile grounds in the local penchant for pomp and pageantry; and it should be the duty of major stakeholders, such as the Academy, to undertake periodic intervention. 

The issue has been compounded by the public’s reverence for academic titles, and the assumed capacity of lofty epithets to expedite one’s rise to fame and political power, whether as minister, member of parliament, municipal or district chief executive. There is indeed a general perception that high academic laurels of an aspirant to political office, could enhance his credibility and capacity to canvass for local and national development. Public controversy has often been raised when doubtful academic credentials have been paraded by public officials in their official resumes. Sometimes the claim is openly contested by well-meaning critics and public-spirited individuals seeking to set records straight.  A former presidential candidate of the ruling party has, for instance, been accused by his critics of parading false academic or doctoral credentials, an allegation he has vehemently denied. A Municipal Chief Executive in Accra has had her masters’ degree credentials purportedly obtained from the University of Ghana, publicly disputed by her opponents.

The obsession with academic titles and qualification has become a major factor in the vetting of nominees for appointment to ministerial positions.  In certain cases where candidates for positions have claimed to have high academic qualifications, curious panels have insisted on certified evidence, which sometimes fails to materialize.

Only last week, British newspapers reported the story of the wife of the Speaker of Parliament, who lost a job because she told lies about her academic qualifications.

Disputed titles used in Ghana include religious honorifics. Without due process, lay preachers perhaps in the name of free expression, have elevated themselves overnight as pastors, reverend ministers, bishops and archbishops, bypassing laid down procedures in the conferment of such professional positions. Of late the title, ‘Reverend,’ soon after its use, has quickly attracted the title Doctor, Dr, to render the honoree a ‘Reverend Dr,’ or the like. A closer look would sometimes reveal that none of the titles has been properly earned. Indeed the current parliamentary book called, ‘Know your MPs,’ has one Member of Parliament, whose highest level of education is stated as ‘City and Guild Final,’ obtained in 1973. To the contrary, he officially refers to himself in the official book as, Rev. Dr…, forgetting that he has already cited City and Guild Final, as his highest level of education. It is of course unknown if of late, the City and Guilds qualification, which we knew was pre-tertiary, now attracts the title Dr.

The proliferation of fake religious titles partly stems from a general boom in religious entrepreneurship over the years, and the expectation that grand titular prefixes could boost patronage, more so if it has academic flavoring.

Indeed, the prevalence of fraud and falsehood in the use of academic titles is partly due to the absence of regulatory frameworks strictly enforced by accredited bodies or professional associations, seeking to set standards and guidelines. The silence of professional bodies over the misapplication of honorifics, has wrought complete chaos in the ordering and meaning of titles, as well as their social applications. The chaotic deployment and stringing of epithets only devalues the discipline of title investiture, blurs the distinction between mediocrity and excellence, and deprives society of opportunities to isolate its cherished values. In the realm of academia, it compromises the quest for excellence and subverts the exacting standards set by society to recognize its best brains.

It is indeed evident that intellectual dishonesty is repudiated in most societies; and so is academic fraud, or the false assumption of intellectual ownership, where intellectual property has been filched or misappropriated. Knowledge is a precious property; yet even though the society makes a conscious effort to celebrate those who create and expand the frontiers of knowledge, creators of new knowledge are guided by laid down ethics in the application of intellectual property.

Source acknowledgment, for example, has been highly cherished by society as signalling intellectual humility.  Even in oral societies where the identification of authorship of received knowledge is a major challenge, sources of learning are frequently acknowledged as a mark of honesty and humility. A well-bred speaker would, out of routine habit, attribute wise sayings to ancestors, and indulge in self-humbling by occasionally denying one’s capacity for knowledge creation.  Among the Akan the formula, Asimesi na okaa n’asem se… ‘it’s so and so who spoke the following wise words,’ seeks to put on record the source of knowledge and wisdom espoused, without disowning responsibility for any blemishes in the application of that knowledge. It makes knowledge production an exercise in modesty, as well as puts on record the variety of intellectual capital others have produced, and which have now been marshalled in the quest for new knowledge. The display of intellectual dishonesty, through the acquisition of false titles and accolades, can thus be considered a blatant attempt to undermine social ideals, that are founded on a time-tested reward system that is performance driven.  If hard work and excellence are applauded by society, it is also because lofty honors are not haphazardly conferred. Titles and laurels are most enduring if bestowed by accredited individuals and institutions of high esteem.  It is said, If God does not enthrone you as king, and you confer a crown upon yourself no one bows before you.”

To be continued…

kyankah@ashesi.edu.gh