Greg Newbold claims he's been the target of a smear campaign by University of Canterbury feminists. They have refuted the allegations.

A feminist group has rejected claims they launched a smear campaign against a university lecturer after protest leaflets were found in copies of a book he authored.

Criminology professor Greg Newbold alleged two members of University of Canterbury's FemSoc were responsible for leaflets claiming his textbook Crime, Law and Justice in New Zealand contained inaccuracies and an anti-feminist bias.

He claimed they were obsessive "like ISIS" and trying to stop sales of the book, which is a required text for two second-year papers.

FemSoc president Kara Kennedy said Newbold had "no evidence" the society was responsible.

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Newbold courted controversy in July during a lecture promoting the book, in which he discussed false rape allegations and the impact of historical feminist campaigns on rape law.

Kennedy said many were still upset after an investigation found Newbold made sexist comments that objectified women but upheld the lecture's overall "academic rigour and appropriateness".

She said a "spy" sent screenshots of online posts about Newbold to him and he complained to the university.

The posts compared Newbold to dog faeces, suggested a potato peeler could be used on him and indicated he deserved the same treatment as academic Mervyn Thompson, who was abducted, threatened to have his penis cut off, and tied to a tree wearing a sign labelling him a rapist in 1984.

Kennedy said the posts, taken from a private group, were joking, but she was concerned the group's privacy had been breached.

"Feminists have always been political. There are always people who want to attack feminists but for a staff member to take something out of context months after it was posted . . . at that point can we really talk about issues in our private group?

"If you want to engage in activism or talk about something it becomes difficult if, at any time, someone can pass that on to staff members."

Newbold claimed "spurious reviews" of his book on Amazon Goodreads were posted by FemSoc. A sole review from publisher Babel Books said its references to Wikipedia pages meant it "can't be relied on as an accurate academic resource or textbook" and warns readers should "carefully check references and watch for bias".

"The book went out to six different reviewers before it was published. What they are trying to do is repress free speech; they are trying to silence anyone who says things they disagree with," Newbold said.

"I'm entitled to say what I want."

Kennedy disagreed: "For him to compare members of FemSoc to ISIS is inappropriate. ISIS is a terrorist group that beheads people; leaflets in a book, I don't think that's on the same scale.

"Academic freedom has responsibility. It doesn't mean you can just say whatever you want."

University of Canterbury vice-chancellor Dr Rod Carr said freedom of speech "comes with responsibility".

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"We encourage our students to express a range of views, mindful of the responsibilities of doing so respectfully of others and the views others might hold.

"Words such as open, inclusive, respectful, thought-provoking, evidence-based, and rational should be associated with a University dialogue. Words such as insular, exclusive, elite, spiteful, discriminatory, irrational, and hateful describe the kind of discourse that is discouraged on campus – and rightfully so," he said.