A few weeks ago, Qatari newspapers reported that Hatoon Al-Fassi, a Saudi scholar teaching at Qatar University, was facing calls for expulsion from the local community for her feminist views. One person wrote: “I’m not with suppression of expression and creativity, but I’m against anyone causing damage to the values of the Qatari society.” Although Dr Al Fassi’s ideas might seem contrary to accepted traditions, it is important to note that she did not engage in any form of hate speech or discrimination, nor are her ideas harmful to national security. Society’s calls for banning such views can negatively affect local knowledge production.
It is important to understand what the real purpose of universities actually is: to produce and create new knowledge. If Dr Al-Fassi’s work were to merely reflect ideas that are already commonly held in society, then she would not be producing new knowledge. Honouring traditions can coexist with having lively academic debates. It is important to remember that the “Golden Age” of Islam was one where scholars with different views and ideas debated freely, including ones whose ideas were not necessarily considered to be in line with mainstream thought.
The rationale for academic inquiry is based on the belief that humans do not already know everything there is to know about any given topic, and that there is always new information left to discover. If people oppose an idea, as they did with Dr Al-Fassi’s ideas, the most beneficial action is to respectfully have an academic debate with her. Using reason, logic and proof, people can convince others’ of their arguments, rather than calling for the expulsion of those whose views they oppose. In more “traditional” non-Western societies which have high educational standards, such as in Japan or Singapore, various sides of such debates also exist – academic debate is not a Western creation.
The Gulf states have rapidly developed in terms of education, but knowledge-production and prominent educational institutions are dominated by the West. Although there is much debate on what high-quality educational standards are, some of the key indicators are promoting critical-thinkers, researchers, and graduates able to innovate and find new solutions to our problems.
Today, the most respected academic journals and books are written in the West, which are disseminated all over the world. The US and the UK are not only prominent for their research in sciences, or business, but even Middle Eastern and Islamic studies. Although some of the reasons for this situation may be considered unfair, encouraging local scholars to engage in a lively academic debate is definitely in our hands.
One of the reasons that the western world dominates knowledge-production is because a lively debate and exchange of ideas exist – which is the essence of education and research. Without tolerating different viewpoints and ideas, new knowledge cannot be created.
Although many people in the West have ideas that oppose the ones scholars make, they can rarely expect them to be banned from teaching (although this has happened). Instead, there are different ideas being espoused, and people align themselves with either side. This allows new knowledge to continuously be created.
What happens to scholars if they keep being attacked by society? At some point, these scholars will leave their home region, and emigrate to a place where their work is appreciated. This is not a call for everyone to agree with what Dr Al Fassi says, but to appreciate her academic efforts. Although those who opposed her did so because they fear Westernisation, it is important to remember that not having dedicated scholars like her is ironically what will lead our societies to depend on knowledge from the West.
Not having academics debate in this manner cannot create the high quality educational environment that we seek. If we oppose something, as long as it does not harm the state’s security, we must learn to debate it.
Rana Almutawa is an Emirati faculty member at Zayed University in Dubai