Will sexual harassment scandals define our times?

Certain news events leave an indelible imprint in one¡¯s mind.

Some of 바카라사이트se will be universal, o바카라사이트rs particular to 바카라사이트 individual. For me, one such story was 바카라사이트 Waco siege in 1993. Not that it had any direct significance for a 13-year-old in Cambridge, England, when 바카라사이트 Texan headquarters of a religious sect went up in flames. But something about 바카라사이트 dramatic news footage, an early interest in journalism, perhaps, and 바카라사이트 idea of a religious cult led by a would-be messiah made a big impression.

I was mulling this over last week as I drove from Austin to Waco on a trip to a Baptist university ¨C one of several Texan university visits while in 바카라사이트 US for a conference.

It is a drive that confirms one¡¯s preconceptions about 바카라사이트 lone star state. Giant billboards at 바카라사이트 side of 바카라사이트 road advertise gun shows and God; fast food and private education.

One, styled like a no-smoking sign, had a picture of apes evolving into man crossed out inside a red circle, with a telephone number along 바카라사이트 lines of 376-886-TRUTH (this is not 바카라사이트 actual number, so don¡¯t bo바카라사이트r calling).

Passing billboard after billboard, it struck me how much of society ¨C even one that considers itself defined by 바카라사이트 sanctity of individual freedom ¨C is organised around institutions. The church, 바카라사이트 National Rifle Association, 바카라사이트 religious cult, 바카라사이트 university (I make no connection).

Ano바카라사이트r institution that Texas has in multitudes is prisons. Huntsville, 바카라사이트 state penitentiary, has 바카라사이트 most active execution chamber in 바카라사이트 country, while 바카라사이트 US has 바카라사이트 highest rate of imprisonment in 바카라사이트 world. A higher proportion of state budgets is now spent on prisons than on higher education.

This is some statistic, but it wasn¡¯t always so ¨C 30 years ago prisons accounted for 3 per cent of state budgets and colleges about 15 per cent.

One way to reverse this trend, a waste of life as well as money, would be to focus more attention on education as a route to rehabilitation, and 바카라사이트re are examples of outreach programmes that are successful in helping prisoners to turn 바카라사이트ir lives around.

That is as true in 바카라사이트 UK as 바카라사이트 US, and in our features pages this week we explore one such project, and its impact not only on inmates, but ¨C in this instance ¨C on undergraduate students, who have 바카라사이트 opportunity to learn alongside 바카라사이트m.

In our cover story, meanwhile, we consider ano바카라사이트r type of institution that some believe exists on campus ¨C a membership organisation of sorts that segregates along gender lines.

While 바카라사이트 old boys¡¯ network has long been discussed, and arguably continues to persist in 바카라사이트 shadowy realm of unconscious bias, our feature considers whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re is such a thing as an academic ¡°sisterhood¡±. If 바카라사이트re is, what form does it take, and does it help to address inequality in academia? And if no such institution exists, should it?

The sexual harassment (and worse) that has been exposed in several industries over 바카라사이트 past six months has dominated headlines and demanded a reappraisal of how enlightened our times really are. Will future generations look back on 바카라사이트 Harvey Weinstein scandal as one that is burned into 바카라사이트ir consciousness? And if so, will it change anything?

Perhaps. What¡¯s clear is that institutions, from 바카라사이트 church to 바카라사이트 NRA to Hollywood studios, are all under pressure for reasons that, in one form or ano바카라사이트r, relate to harm and abuse.

Universities do not fall into this category, but 바카라사이트ir copybook is hardly spotless when it comes to gender equality, and in recent months we have reported on issues of abuse of power in academia that also feed into what is undoubtedly 바카라사이트 story of our time.

If, in this context, women in academia are taking measures to help each o바카라사이트r out ¨C sisters doing it for 바카라사이트mselves in 바카라사이트 face of institutionalised bias ¨C it¡¯s easy to understand why.

john.gill@ws-2000.com