The Illusions of Freedom

“Tweet, Tweet, a little birdie told me you got the scholarship”

It all began with hope on a bright sunny day. An email that changed the course of my life. I set foot in the world of academia with a utopic image of it being a place where great minds gathered to understand and better the world. I left having realized everything I thought to be true was an illusion. This is a true story about a young Asian scholar in the highly capitalistic, industrialized, colonial, and patriarchal walls of higher education, that shifts through hope, inner dialogue, challenge, loss, abuse, and letting go. This is a story about a journey that pushed me to realize that freedom, as it is told, is simply an illusion.

“A story that invites us to reconsider what freedom really is and what are its costs.”

– Syed Farid Alatas, Professor of Sociology

“This is more than a story- it’s a call to action and reflection.”

– Harold John Culala, PhD

“A must-read filled with refreshing bravery and honesty...”

– Samira Zare, PhD