Interviews and tricky questions

Students face questions about liberalism and secularism, and some controversial hashtags on Twitter, in personal interviews, which determines the student’s future at university. An example of this is the recent story of a female student at the Imam Saud Islamic University, when she was asked about who she follows on Twitter. This type of question is not normal and customary in personal interviews, as the university spokesman stated in reference to the incident. Such questions are not purely knowledge related, but are rather ideological questions aimed at knowing the student’s tendencies and attitudes. These questions are then used to filter all applicants based on what can be seen from these tendencies and stances, which will affect the admission/dismissal process of those students. Secularism and liberalism are mysterious and controversial concepts, and tools of classification in the cultural and general arena, and we can’t believe the neutrality of admission committees conducting those interviews. These committees should avoid asking such questions that raise suspicion, not only about university applicants, but also about the fairness and impartiality of universities toward what is going on in the cultural arena and social networking sites from issues in which cognition is confused with ideology, truth with falseness and awareness with unconsciousness.

Saeed Al-Suraihi/Okaz