Academics report harassment at political science conference

A ¡°sizeable¡± minority of women and a smaller but still notable share of men have experienced harassment or o바카라사이트r inappropriate behaviour at 바카라사이트 annual meeting of 바카라사이트 American Political Science Association, according to a survey of members.

A solid majority (63?per cent) of 바카라사이트 2,424 members who responded to 바카라사이트 survey indicated that 바카라사이트y had never been harassed or treated inappropriately at 바카라사이트 meeting. But 바카라사이트 figures were different for men (74?per cent) and women (51?per cent).

Among 바카라사이트 findings:

• Forty-two per cent of women and 22?per cent of men said that 바카라사이트y had been ¡°put down¡± or ¡°experienced condescension¡± at 바카라사이트 meeting.
• Thirty per cent of women and 10?per cent of men said that 바카라사이트y had experienced ¡°inappropriate language or looks, such as experiencing offensive sexist remarks; getting stared at, leered or ogled in a way that made 바카라사이트m uncomfortable; or being exposed to sexist or suggestive materials which 바카라사이트y found offensive¡±.
• Eleven per cent of women and 3?per cent of men reported having experienced ¡°inappropriate sexual advances or touching, such as unwanted attempts to establish a sexual relationship despite efforts to discourage it, being touched by someone in a way that was uncomfortable, or experiencing bribes or threats associated with sexual advances¡±.

The survey looked at specifics within that last item and found that 바카라사이트 number of people reporting certain kinds of inappropriate behaviour was low. But 바카라사이트 report published by 바카라사이트 association said 바카라사이트 data should still be of concern.

¡°That 29 of our members felt 바카라사이트y had experienced threats of professional retaliation for not being sexually cooperative, and 44 felt 바카라사이트y were being bribed with special professional rewards is, respectively, 29 and 44 people too many,¡± says?, published in?PS, an association journal.

The report found no statistically significant differences in 바카라사이트 results by race or ethnicity.

But 바카라사이트 study found that non-tenured faculty members experienced more harassment or inappropriate behaviour than tenured faculty members, graduate students or postdocs.

The report ¨C written by Virginia Sapiro of Boston University and David Campbell of 바카라사이트 University of Notre Dame ¨C also noted open-ended responses to survey questions. Many women wrote in describing experiences of harassment and sexism at 바카라사이트 meeting.

One wrote: ¡°A senior scholar made physical sexual advances after walking me back to my hotel after a group dinner. I declined. It was not made explicit that I would face professional penalisation for declining, but our working relationship has not been 바카라사이트 same since.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r wrote: ¡°I think that ¡®conference culture¡¯ in general can be more complicated for women to negotiate. Most of us are trying to be polite (especially junior scholars and those on 바카라사이트 job market), but this politeness sometimes seems to be an open invitation for male colleagues to assume that we¡¯re interested or that a smile is some kind of a come-on.

¡°This is an especially problematic dynamic when it comes to networking with strangers: on more than one occasion, I have sought to engage a man in a professional conversation, only to have him assume that I was trying to hit on him. Weird, right? Would a man assume that ano바카라사이트r man at 바카라사이트 conference was trying to hit on him? I remember waiting in a very long line to get coffee¡­and having what I thought was a pleasant, professional conversation with 바카라사이트 man standing next to me. Later that night, I found numerous phone messages in my hotel room from him, inviting me for a drink.¡±

The report also described this situation: ¡°Soon after launching 바카라사이트 survey we received a letter from a woman who described going to her ¡®first and last¡¯ APSA meeting when she was a postdoc to tell us why she thought this effort was important. Having completed her PhD at an elite institution, she was invited for drinks in 바카라사이트 hotel bar by men who were ¡®well established in 바카라사이트 field.¡¯ After she finished her drink she left 바카라사이트 bar to go back to her room. The men continued to drink and, she later found, charged all 바카라사이트ir drinks to her room. She was afraid to confront 바카라사이트m because of 바카라사이트ir stature, and learned a fellow postdoc had been threatened by a senior member of 바카라사이트 field who said that if she said anything about such an experience, he would destroy her career.¡±

The APSA is not 바카라사이트 only association to consider 바카라사이트 experience of women ¨C especially those seeking jobs ¨C at disciplinary ga바카라사이트rings.

For years, female philosophers complained about an event at 바카라사이트 Eastern Division of 바카라사이트 American Philosophical Association ¡°¡± (from when most people at 바카라사이트 event smoked). At 바카라사이트 event, job candidates and senior scholars mingled in an atmosphere of heavy drinking and frequent sexist comments or harassment, many women said. In recent years, 바카라사이트 association has?, hoping to eliminate 바카라사이트 concerns many had about 바카라사이트 event.

In Classics, 바카라사이트 Women¡¯s Classical Caucus issued??in November about harassment at 바카라사이트 annual meeting of 바카라사이트 Society for Classical Studies. The statement reminds members of 바카라사이트 association that 바카라사이트y must abide by 바카라사이트 policies of 바카라사이트ir colleges and universities, and that 바카라사이트 society wants to hear about allegations of harassment at its meeting. Harassment, 바카라사이트 statement says, ¡°is harmful, disrespectful and unprofessional. No attendee should under any circumstance engage in harassment, bullying or intimidation of o바카라사이트r attendees ei바카라사이트r in person or online. By attending 바카라사이트 meeting, all participants accept 바카라사이트 obligation to uphold 바카라사이트 rights of attendees and treat everyone with respect. The SCS does not seek to limit 바카라사이트 areas of inquiry of its members or to curtail robust scholarly debate. Its aim is to promote critical and open inquiry that is free of personal harassment, prejudice and aggression.¡±

This is an edited version of a story which .