[The Proposition] ‘Equal opportunities cause inequality’

Text Ning Fan

PhD candidates explain the most thought-provoking proposition in their thesis. This time it’s Lotte Yanore, who received her PhD on 31 October for her research on decision-making by Dutch dairy farmers under policy uncertainty.

‘Equal opportunities don’t always lead to equal results. In a diverse classroom, giving the same lecture to all students may result in different grades. However, providing additional support, such as extra lectures or alternative learning methods, can help students with learning disabilities perform similarly to their peers. The point I want to make here is that sometimes the provision of differentiated support can help achieve greater social equality.

In the university environment, we have many international students who come from entirely different environments and education systems. Here everything is organized very differently from what they are used to. Providing them with extra support can be valuable in helping them fit in and adapt to the new educational environment.

Outside the classroom, there are similar disparities among different types of PhD candidates. Depending on whether they are employed, get a scholarship or are in sandwich programmes, they get different pay despite doing equally valuable work. In my opinion, addressing these payment inequalities is crucial to creating a fair environment for all PhD candidates.

I know this topic sounds a bit abstract, but I believe it is important for each of us to think about how we can strive for equality in society and accommodate different people to help them achieve their desires.’

Also read:

[The proposition] ‘Privatizing public transport is a prime example of political cognitive dissonance’

[The Proposition] ‘Change in attitude regarding the environment starts with the education of the youngest generations.’

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