Maintaining Courage and Integrity in Times of Universal Deceit: A Dialogue with David A. Hughes

Former Senior Lecturer at the University of Lincoln, Dr. David Hughes reflects on the co-optation of academia by powerful outside organizations, the destruction of academic freedom, the usurpation of science, the battle to secure research funds in a climate of political censorship, and the circumstances that surrounded his own departure from the academy. Dr. Hughes discusses the corruption of scholarship with the current chill cast over the western academy as official state and corporate narratives and points of view are carefully guarded by nefarious actors. He wonders how, with systems of manufactured ignorance and deception in place, serious academics are able to weigh their moral and intellectual values against the unflinching pursuit of truth. The discussion moves into the field of International Relations and the apparent unwillingness of scholars today to address key unanswered questions about the ample empirical evidence throwing question the entire 9/11 official story.