Not a senior academic like my esteemed colleague @DonnachaDCU & others but as a @LawGovDCU teaching assistant I instilled in my students values of discussion, debate, objectivity & questioning narratives - high academic principles preached&practiced by my colleagues. Here's why: https://twitter.com/DonnachaDCU/status/1384068458808180736

Born/brought up in Gulf, I grew up aspiring for freedom of expression/speech & wanted to be part of a society which promotes + preserves these values. I tried as a journalist but sadly it didn't work out due to authoritarian societies I lived in. Reason of doing PhD + teaching

in Ireland is entirely out of desire & respect for academic objectivity/freedoms here. To participate & promote free thinking & not blindly accepting what's given as "truth". While doing tutorials in SEM 1&2, I showed my students all sides of story & encouraged them to debate &

form their own opinions while respecting that of others. I didn't care if govts abroad, incl authoritarians, will try to curtail/cancel learning bcoz it doesn't suit their narrative. Imagine if this is taken away, how ignorant Irish/foreign students will be? It's imperative that

we defend + protect freedom of academic speech & objectivity in its entirety & reject all threats of censorship & cancel culture to preserve our values. It is all or none. There's no mix & match approach. There are no allies/enemies. Our standard should be objectivity & fairness.

If @DCU is forced to alter their curriculum by / govts bcoz it upsets them, can't imagine teaching MENA politics & terrorism studies as that will upset states like etc. or groups like #ISIS/AQ. Where do we draw the line? Will teaching be based on embassy communiqués?

Rarely raise my voice & express opinions but I'm compelled to speak out bcoz this threatens not just my future academic career & that of others but the very discipline of academia. Freedoms we have today is a result of hard work & sacrifices of scholars (past/present). We got to

cherish & preserve it. If today it is @DCU, tmrw it will be unis elsewhere in Ireland & Europe. Resist interference from all sides. END #CancelCulture.