The University of Sydney has been accused of racial discrimination through alleged comments that Iranians were too controlling and impossible to supervise.
Award-winning Iranian-Australian philosopher Omid Tofighian has hit the university with a Federal Court lawsuit over alleged human rights breaches.
He claims associate professor Maurice Peat made the allegedly racist remarks while Dr Tofighian was applying to become associate lecturer in the university's National Centre of Cultural Competence.
"Peat said words to the effect that he had worked with Iranians before and they were always like this, they were always too controlling and too directive, and impossible to supervise," the lawsuit filed on Friday claims.
Despite NCCC executive officer Leanne Kapoor supporting Dr Tofighian, Dr Peat said he would never want to work with him and the position went to somebody else, the court documents claim.
"USyd refused or failed to employ Tofighian in the associate lecturer position for reasons including his race, descent, or national or ethnic origin."
The philosopher then took up a role as a senior project officer within the NCCC in February 2017, but felt uncomfortable during his time there because of the comments made.
"(He) was anxious, tense, and self-conscious because, on account of Peat's remarks, he thought it necessary to avoid being or appearing controlling, over-confident, or domineering," the lawsuit said.
After a cold reception to a Refugee Alternatives Conference in late February 2017, Ms Kapoor allegedly became critical of his work.
Overwhelmed and anxious, Dr Tofighian says he took sick leave at the end of March 2017, filed a Workcover claim and had not returned to work at the university since.
"Tofighian's heightened anxiousness, tenseness, and self-consciousness, and his reaction to Kapoor's critical comments, were substantially caused by Tofighian's awareness of, and reaction to, the conduct," he wrote.
In a statement, the university said its policies did not tolerate discrimination of any kind.
"We oppose discrimination in all its forms and firmly believe it should not be tolerated in our community. We expect our staff to ensure they comply with our policies and code of conduct, and in accordance with the law," a spokesperson said.
The university declined to provide further comment, saying it was considering its response to the lawsuit.
Dr Tofighian is seeking compensation for missing out on the associate professor position, future losses from being mentally unfit to work, and from any hurt, humiliation, distress and anxiety caused.
He is also demanding a written apology.
As well as working in the NCCC, Dr Tofighian is an honorary research associate in the university's Department of Philosophy.
In February 2019, he won the Victorian Prize for Literature, the Victorian Premier's Prize for Nonfiction and the NSW Premier's Literary Award for his translation of asylum seeker Behrouz Boochani's book No Friend but the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison.
Comment has also been sought from Dr Peat.
