A PhD: Writing the Mediterranean, Rewriting a Life
Sometimes a PhD is not just an academic achievement. It can be survival, reinvention, and a proof that disappointment does not have the final word.
The cover of my PhD dissertation.
At middle age, when many people quietly begin accepting limitations placed on them by society, life or even their own fears, what if I told you that one can choose defiance, challenge and growth!
Thursday May 28, 2026 is one of the most meaningful days of my life. After 6 years of long nights reading, writing and being persistent, I finally defended successfully my thesis and earned the title of Doctor in Philosophy at the University of Cyprus.
This doctorate extended beyond research. It became a journey toward answering deeper questions about our shaky Mediterranean region, about identity and philosophy. Let’s navigate together through its pages.
Reinvention
Perhaps the real victory is not the title itself, but the courage to begin again. Against all odds, against time, doubt and disappointments.
At the UCY campus after my defense.
“Ain’t no mountain high enough” feels especially true here, because the mountain was never just academic. It was emotional, personal and deeply human.
Curiosity was the true force behind this doctoral journey as well as the fear of endings and not having new beginnings. It was curiosity not only for research and knowledge, but for life itself.
Pursuing a PhD at a mature age brought a different kind of intellectual fulfillment: the ability to appreciate philosophical questions with greater depth than we often possess in youth, when many other distractions in life prevail.
The Mediterranean Part
In the midst of all the dramatic events that the Middle East has witnessed over the last decade, the aim of this dissertation is to answer many questions about those unprecedented developments and consecutive wars.
The UCY campus on a quiet morning.
It also addresses European values as well as the role of Europe in this turbulent region and how the continent emerged to represent the conscious of humanity.
Final word
For every person who feels defined by setbacks, who believes opportunities belong only to younger versions of themselves, this story says otherwise.
It is never too late to reinvent your life!
Five Facts about my dissertation:
1- The PhD dissertation addresses the universality of European Values to investigate the reasons that impede its applicability in the Middle East, the strategic neighbor of Europe.
2- It is composed of six chapters including two case studies: Lebanon, where many people identify themselves with European culture, and the Arab Spring with special emphasis on Tunisia and Egypt.
3- A full chapter explains the vocation of Europe as the historical birthplace of democracy and liberal thinking. It traces back the trajectory that made the continent heir to values born from liberal traditions.
4- Post colonial heritage in the region is highlighted in many parts to understand the historical context of the relationship between Europe and the Middle East, as well as the modern forms of cooperation between the two banks of the Mediterranean.
5- The conclusions of the dissertation identify the main hurdles facing the democratization process in the Middle East and try to answer the main research question to know if liberal democracy is only a Western concept.