James Bond slammed as ‘racist and misogynistic’ by academics

Academics have been branded 'killjoys'

Experts point towards instances of "racialism" and the use of "outdated language" in various books and films of the popular franchise. Students are now being warned that the iconic series features "problematic" issues.

The trigger warnings now apply to more than 50 texts on the University of Portsmouth's reading lists on its English Literature degree, per LBC.

"Please note: James Bond films and novels are popular to this day but contain many problematic issues such as racism, misogyny and xenophobia.

"We will be discussing the problems with this text in all of our seminars," the warning reads.

The university goes on to encourage students "to engage with teaching texts in an informed way" through content notes.

Critics were quick to deem the move "patronising" and labelled the academics "killjoys" for "acting like parents".

Director of the Academic Freedom group, Professor Dennis Hayes, said: "Putting warnings on James Bond is one of the silliest I have heard of.

"The novels are well-written, exciting thrillers, but academic killjoys will only focus on the political issues in which they are interested. I hope tutors in the seminars also celebrate the best in Bond.

"Students are not children and can see for themselves 'outdated' attitudes in works they read. Academics should stop acting like patronising parents.

In defence of the warning, Dr Ian Kinane, general editor of the International Journal of James Bond Studies, said they "cater to potential sensitivities" and are right as a "matter of consideration", per LBC.

He said: "Trigger warnings serve not to cushion students; rather, they cater to potential sensitivities that might arise as a result of exposure to potentially troubling subject matter, either for the very first time in their lives, or, if we are talking about someone with lived experience of a particular trauma, not for the first time.

"Surely it is simply a matter of consideration, not to mention healthy wellbeing practice, on the part of Portsmouth’s lecturing staff to signal for their students the inclusion within Dr No of certain outmoded language and themes."

He went on to say that some of the Bond novels set in Jamaica, such as Live and Let Die, Dr No, and The Man with the Golden Gun, have "some of the more egregious instances of racialism within the Bond stories".

Dr Kinane added: "Recent re-issues of Live and Let Die, perhaps the most complicated if not problematic of his novels when it comes to matters of race and racial identity, have seen the expungement of certain sections of the novel on the grounds of poor taste and outdated language."