Greetings allies and members.
This issue of our newsletter includes a selection of the latest research, media and activities related to the issue of academic bullying and harassment.
We are thrilled to invite you to our fourth annual, and first in-person, conference, “STEM the Bullying: Stakeholder Insights,” graciously hosted by Wake Forest University in Charlotte, NC on March 29, 2024. This year marks a significant expansion in our endeavors. We are orchestrating a unique initiative to share anonymous stories from those affected by bullying in STEM. These narratives will be presented through a series of compelling posters at the conference. Additionally, we aim to compile these insights, along with your valuable research, into a special issue for publication in a prestigious journal within the Nature Publishing Group.
We encourage you to join this crucial effort to “STEM the Bullying.” We are particularly interested in submissions (either papers or posters) that address (1) Bullying in the research Lab (PI perspective and post-doc perspectives) (2) Vulnerable populations and bullying in STEM (3) Upward Bullying, (4) STEM Performance issues and Bullying, (5) Mobbing in STEM fields. Comprehensive details about submissions, the event, and registration are available here. Our partner hotel in Uptown Charlotte will cost $144/night for those who sign up early. We are also offering four #travel #awards for selected presentations, see the Academic Parity Movement webpage for details.
Please send submissions (with the following details) to mmahmoudi@paritymovement.org: (1) Title, (2) Corresponding Author, (3) Institution/Affiliation, (4) Submission type: option 1- paper (summary 500 words PLUS 1500 word description) or option 2-poster description of 450-500 words. We can’t wait to see you there!
As always, stay tuned for more information on our latest activities and thank you for your interest in and support for Academic Parity. A special thank you to those of you who have kindly sent relevant research and articles our way!
“Sexism in academia is bad for science and a waste of public funding” (Nature, November 2023). In this comment piece, Boivin et al. make the case that the loss of talent related to gender-based discrimination in higher education and research institutions exacts massive scientific and economic tolls. Following a survey of these costs, the article outlines reforms intended to help combat inefficiencies caused by sexism in the academic sector.
“Beyond kindness: a proposal for the flourishing of science and scientists alike” (Royal Society Open Science, November 2023). In this article, Schumann et al. argue that many of the crises currently afflicting science (e.g. replicability, innovation biases, attrition) are associated with a present failure of science to sufficiently embody its own values. In order to redress this they propose transforming the organization of science from a competitive and managerial activity towards a more collaborative and democratically organized moral practice.
“Association of workplace violence and bullying with later suicide risk: a multicohort study and meta-analysis of published data” (The Lancet, July 2023). This study of observational data from three Nordic countries by Magnusson Hanson et al. suggests that workplace violence is associated with an increased suicide risk, highlighting the importance of effective prevention of violent behaviours at workplaces.
“How your money is helping subsidise sexism in academia and what you can do about it” (The Conversation, November 2023). Highlighting the pervasive, damaging and ultimately wasteful problem of sexism in academia, Boivin et al. address this article to taxpayers whose money, they assert, is effectively being used to subsidise sexism. The authors offer several remediation strategies including (1) acknowledging that self-regulation isn’t working, (2) developing effective and transparent systems for measuring gender equity, and applying them to all publicly funded higher education and research institutions, (3) making funding in higher education and research dependent on the achievement of gender equity targets.
“5 ways toxic leaders retaliate via ‘proper channels’” (Psychology Today, November 2023). Arya Baker’s article details the process by which toxic leaders manipulate “proper channels” in order to maintain power and silence victims by (1) pathologizing self-advocacy, (2) directing reports of the problem to the source of the problem, (3) choosing biased higher ups for appeals process, creating policies that do not require follow up, and (5) framing external complaints as retaliation or “snitching”.
“Bullying, introverts and stereotypes: 11 persistent signs of toxic work environments” (Forbes, September, 2023). Christine Michel Carter’s article describes the signs and symptoms of toxic work environments and concludes with several healing resources where targets can find counseling support and even report their organization. It also introduces proposed US legislation, The Workplace Safety Act.
We are excited to announce The Academic Parity Movement’s 4th Annual Conference: “STEM the Bullying: Stakeholder Insights.” The conference will be held on Friday, March 29 2024 at Wake Forest University. Submissions should be sent by January 30th, 2024 to mmahmoudi@paritymovement.org. Registration details can be found here.
Call for abstracts now open for a panel on “Ending #genderbasedviolence in #highereducation institutions: Policies and problems” at the 3rd International Conference of the journal “Scuola Democratica”, 3-6 June 2024. The panel welcomes abstracts addressing challenges and underexplored topics related to gender-based violence in higher education institutions. Submit your proposal by 10. Feb. Find out more at: https://lnkd.in/eBy9fxCe
Attempting a PhD in the very south of Ireland was hands-down the worst mistake I have ever made. Thinking I was entering an Irish university to make an original contribution to knowledge, I found myself up against a scarily powerful institution that was not afraid to use that power. Despite carrying out immense amounts of precarious work in universities nation-wide, Irish PhD researchers are not considered “employed” like in other European countries. This status leaves graduate students precarious when confronting abuses of power. For example, when I rejected the verbal sexual harassment of my supervisor, a Senior Lecturer at the university, he attempted to have me removed from my position using an ad hoc language examination administered to me with less than 24-hours notice (despite my proficiency having been assessed at the time of my entry). As soon as I attempted to make my complaint in a way that would be considered “formal” by the university, I found the whole machinery of the institution recalibrated and aimed directly at me. The institution’s “Right to Dignity & Respect Policy” was simply a firewall. The officially approved upgrade of my PhD from “Track” to “Full PhD” was overturned and the supervisor who had signed his agreement to replace the sexual predator was removed. Without a PhD supervisor to sign all official forms, I was prevented from taking a “leave of absence” and then expelled with nothing to show for 2 years of full-time research: no degree, no refund. The publicly-funded institution then destroyed some of my data (including financial records), withheld other data with impunity, and later sent data related to my complaint (including medical records) outside the university without my consent. The Irish Data Protection Commission – also publicly funded – came to the conclusion that the university did not need my consent to do so and decided in their favour.
Until the next issue, wishing you well,
Dr. Alison E. Vogelaar
Newsletter Editor