What has been your most negative experience in academia and how did you handle it?
Came across this twitter thread this morning and felt sad, angry, frustrated, and heartbroken. Tales of bullying and abuse of power are not new in academia, but every time I come across a new one, I feel equally disturbed. I really appreciate the way this person dealt with the problem – maintaining research integrity and protecting his student to the best of his ability.
What has been your worst experience in academia? If you or anyone you know of has experienced bullying in academia, do share the story and how the person concerned handled it. Reading about others’ experiences might alert potential victims and help them understand what to do when faced with harassment and bullying. Thank you @Yufita Chinta for sharing your story
If you wish to share your story anonymously, you can do so. Learn more about how you can post anonymously on R Voice in this post: https://voice.researcher.life/discussion/323/want-to-share-something-on-r-voice-but-feel-hesitant-we-are-now-accepting-anonymous-posts#
Comments
-
@Gustavo Arluna @Mdumiseni Mazula @Joyce Tsui @Shelley Lyons @Hermione Bray @Yuliya Shtaltovna @Kylie Marie @Adaora Anyichie - Odis @Hong Ching Goh @Ruchika Yogesh @Omololu FAGBADEBO @Soumi Paul @Parul Nigam Have any of you faced anything close to bullying or harassment in academia?
1 -
Hello everyone honestly I never experience any negativity in academia of being shouted,bullied or any harassment
0 -
@Kakoli Majumder, this is not a new thing. The truth is that the academic community is filled with some nauseating and repulsive developments as noted in the Twitter thread. I have and still experiencing some of the negative conduct of some colleagues, especially those in the position of authority. Abuse of power is rampant, whereby senior colleagues oppress and suppress their subordinates. I have experienced very hostile academic environments with a deep-seated hatred and bully. A senior colleague vowed that I would never have my Ph.D. and that he wanted me dismissed from the university, and he demonstrated it because he had was in a position of power. But I did not allow that hostile attitude to deter me. I have shared on this platform recently that the negative hostile environment was the push I needed to migrate to another university for my Ph.D., which I completed in a recorded time. All we need to do is to remain focused and never allow the negative tide to jeopardize the attainment of our goal. It is not easy but it is possible.
One thing at a time😍
0 -
In April 2019, I was about 5 months pregnant and my 2 children were in and out of hospital and I had coursework, weekly tests, contextual project and capstone project 1 to work on. I did all very we but messed up with my Capstone project 1.
0 -
I'm so happy for you Mdumiseni. It feels so heartening to know that the journey is not as painful for some of us - of course, challenges will be there, but having a supportive supervisor and cooperative colleagues, the going gets a little easier. :)
1 -
I'm sorry you had to go through such a terrible situation. but I admire your courage and perseverance. As you have so correctly observed, we need to keep the end goal in mind and not let anything come in the way. Yes, it's difficult, but people like you inspire others to stay focused and not succumb to the hostile environment created by a set of powermongers.
2 -
Wow, that must've been one hard time. It's really tough being a parent in academia. Being a mom myself, I this resonates completely with me. There are times when things seem to spin out of control, but eventually you learn to manage and emerge out of it stronger. Kudos to you for staying focused and balancing your career and family so beautifully!
0 -
-
@Kakoli Majumder Thank you so much. It was a trying period for me. Women are resilient in nature...#wemove
0 -
@Omololu FAGBADEBO I'd like to cry and then bow to you. You're so brave on detaching yourself from the negative environment, while staying positive (i.e., reach the goal --> PhD). I admire you too, as @Kakoli Majumder. I want to read your post. Could you lead me?
1 -
@Adaora Anyichie - Odis mother hug for you 🤗🤗🤗
0 -
Perhaps the worst was my good friend who wanted to impress my supervisor (for her thesis defense later) asked the question during my thesis defense. And this question was the one that I shared with her where my supervisor was going to ask me during the defense. How clever and strategic that was.
0 -
@Yufita Chinta, thank you. It was a tough decision but God helped me through. I have discovered in life that the forces that seek to pull one down are determined to distract one from a set goal. Walking away, no matter how difficult, is the best option. Because, in the end, the same forces will remain divisive while you are making it through your goal beyond their wider imagination.
One thing at a time😍
1 -
@Yufita Chinta thank you so much
1 -
True that @Adaora Anyichie - Odis - life teaches us to be resilient.
0 -
Ouch, that must have been really hurtful @Hong Ching Goh. You might not have high expectations from a supervisor, but when a friends manipulates you and breaks your trust, it's really heartbreaking. All I can say is that unfortunately, perhaps we need to be really cautious even when making friends in academia. :(
0 -
always go for a genuine friend, but normally time will tell. It took me a while to swallow and digest but I am fine. It added to my experience to be more careful when making friends and share about anything, but I am also be very aware for not being skeptical which can be just a fine line in between. It helps me to grow. Everything happen in life is always blessing or blessing in disguise. 😃
0 -
@Omololu FAGBADEBO I feel how brave you are. Your words: "Walking away, no matter how difficult, is the best option. Because, in the end, the same forces will remain divisive while you are making it through your goal beyond their wider imagination." will be a great reminder for me, and I hope for everyone with the difficult time. May God lead and bless your choice and road.
2 -
Hi @Hong Ching Goh I've been following your discussion with @Kakoli Majumder in this post. You have such a big heart. I had the similar one too: my friend takes an idea I shared to her to get compliment from the boss. Stealing because she doesn't mention my name ^^ I was angry for sure, so I don't talk to her for a long time. How about you?
0 -
hi Yufita, we are still friends. To an extent, I have the reservation towards her but we are friends. There are people who just do not see that as an issue fundamentally. For them, no damage on us (their friend), and advantage for them, so no harm doing but what was forgotten is the damage on the relationship, it also a sign of lack of empathy. I guess I learned this lesson by earning more empathy towards others and remind myself that, if this is not what I like, I will not want to do it on others. On the other hand, try to understand why they are doing that, this is another end of the empathy's spectrum. By understanding the causes, our anger rest in peace, really. Within me, I tried to understand why people do that to me, spiritually, there must be something, which then I understand about myself so much better (also to accept this part of me) and the people we attract, or send/carry the signals/energy, too.
0 -
on a separate note, I hope that it (the wound) has healed, completely within you *hugs.
0 -
-
OMG, @Hong Ching Goh how you can do it?
"By understanding the causes, our anger rest in peace, really." She wants the attention and looks as intelligent as possible in front of all people. I don't have any interest to do so. So maybe you're right....by getting no citation of my name, I won't be popular, just as I wish. Right....I don't need to keep the anger (at least for this one hour 😁). Let see if I can do it for longer time 😁
0 -
It means the acceptance of ourselves, inner self (e.g. what went wrong, and we might blame ourselves). When we deny, that is when the struggle in the forms of anger, upset, sad etc. those emotions . We suffer because of these emotional attachment. Meditation helps.
1 -
love it @Hong Ching Goh, although it is difficult to do. Thank you so much
1 -
once you started, you will make it easy and easier.
1 -
@Kakoli Majumder all I can say is that academia is full of people that think they are monarchs or something like that and unfortunately it's hard to complaint about that. I don't feel that I've suffered bullying myself (although I haven't been treated very well by some teachers) but I saw many people being bullyed by teachers or even by academic authorities...
I think this is a very deep paradigm in academia, health care, police, and every place where people have some authority over you. I think a third party control is needed for each institution.
0 -
I think you've identified the crux of the issue @Gustavo Arluna. Bullying exists wherever people have authority. And I think that the authoritarian and hierarchical culture of academia is largely responsible for the negative experiences many early career researchers face. As you have rightly pointed out, third party interventions, possibly in the form of student counseling/support mechanisms and team management/soft-skills training for supervisors and PIs might be of help in dealing with this issue.
1
