A prominent journalist and academic has pulled out of a major literary festival in a stand against censorship, following the controversial removal of a fellow author from the programme.
Withdrawal in defence of the 'grey zone'
Peter Greste, a professor of journalism and former foreign correspondent, announced his withdrawal from Adelaide Writers' Week. His decision comes as a direct protest against the festival board's move to cancel the appearance of writer and academic Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah.
The board stated its action was taken "given her past statements" and deemed it would not be "culturally sensitive" to programme her following the recent Bondi attack. Greste, while acknowledging the horrific nature of that attack and the resultant fear, argues the board's logic is a dangerous mistake.
A precedent that shrinks civic debate
In a powerful statement, Greste emphasised that his protest is not about agreeing with Abdel-Fattah's views, but about a fundamental principle. He contends that disqualifying a writer from a public forum based on past statements reassessed during a volatile climate sets a fragile and alarming precedent.
"If writers can be disqualified from public forums based on past statements and changing political winds," Greste writes, "then participation becomes contingent on institutional nervousness rather than intellectual integrity." He warns this undermines the festival's core role as a space for open, complex dialogue.
Doing the work of extremists
Greste draws a direct line between the festival's decision and the strategic aims of extremist groups like Islamic State. He references the group's essay, "The Extinction of the Grey Zone," which describes the strategic destruction of the space where people of differing beliefs coexist and debate.
"Extremist violence seeks to polarise," Greste states. "It aims to strip away nuance and force us into ideological, sectarian or ethnic camps. Our response should not be to help that project by shrinking civic space further." He argues that by silencing voices deemed uncomfortable, society inadvertently fulfills the polarising objectives of extremists.
The controversy has already triggered significant fallout, with three board members and the board chair resigning from the Adelaide Festival. Abdel-Fattah has also reportedly sent a legal notice to the festival organisers.
Greste concludes that his withdrawal is a defence of the essential "grey zone" of public discourse, insisting that fear must not be allowed to dictate which voices are heard in a democratic society.
