Oxford Literary Festival has faced criticism after controversial figure Jordan Peterson was announced as a speaker.

The Canadian clinical psychologist is due to speak at the festival on April 2.

Dr Peterson has characterised himself politically as a 'classic British liberal’ and a ‘traditionalist.’

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He has argued that there is an ongoing crisis of masculinity and has attributed the rise of Donald Trump and far-right European politicians to a reaction against the push to ‘feminise’ men.

Oxford Mail:

In 2016, Dr Peterson released a series of YouTube videos criticising an act introduced by the Canadian parliament to make gender identity and expression grounds for discrimination.

He received a significant amount of media attention in response to this, both supporting him and opposing his views.

 

Dr Alison Ray, an archivist and records manager at St Peter’s College Oxford, tweeted: “Really disappointed to see the fantastic Oxford Literary Festival platform welcome a loser who opposes the freedoms of others.

"I was looking forward to attending several events on the festival’s great schedule of amazing writers but will no longer do so.”

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The multi-million selling author is due to give a talk on his book titled Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life.

Dr Peterson will explain how to balance the two fundamental principles of reality- order and chaos- and find profound meaning on the path that divides them.

Beyond Order is the follow-up book to his 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, which sold more than five million copies around the world.

Oxford Literary Festival has been contacted for comment.