CEPEL support for Alexandre Dézé

CEPEL is standing behind Alexandre Dézé following a complaint filed against him by IFOP (the French Institute of Public Opinion).

Message from Alexandre Dézé:

IFOP IS TRYING TO SILENCE ACADEMICS

A few weeks ago, just as I was about to publish my book *10 Lessons on Political Polls* with De Boeck, I received a registered letter informing me that I was the subject of a defamation complaint filed by IFOP regarding the following remarks, made in Le Monde on September 11, 2020, concerning a survey by the polling institute focusing in particular on Muslims’ attitudes toward the Charlie Hebdo attacks: “With such a small sample size of 515 people, this poll has no value and its conclusions are questionable. The methodological flaws are outrageous, and yet there is an unshakable belief that these polls are science.”  
I am still trying to figure out what exactly is defamatory about these remarks. I can, moreover, demonstrate their validity. But that may not be the point. For nearly half a century, political scientists, sociologists, and statisticians have offered abundant criticism of opinion polls to highlight their methodological weaknesses and pseudoscientific nature. My remarks were ultimately merely echoing these criticisms, which pollsters are well aware of, by the way. But it seems that IFOP or some of its officials can no longer tolerate dissent. Yet polling institutes are supposed to contribute to the “proper” functioning of democracy, not seek to muzzle it. This is therefore, more broadly, an attack on freedom of expression and academic freedom, compounded by what amounts to a gag order, as was the case in the past with Alain Garrigou, who was sued at the time by Fiducial, a company associated with IFOP.  

I have sought legal protection from my university and have had to hire a lawyer. And I intend to fight against this despicable attempt to silence an academic.