Reaction Is Not Enough: Decreasing Gendered Harassment in Academic Contexts in Chile, Hong Kong, and the United States

Abstract

In diverse academic spaces around the world, sexual and gendered harassment is increasingly recognized as a problem. High‐profile cases continue to emerge that underscore how gendered harassment is normalized in elite research contexts. In this article, Liz Jackson and Ana Luisa Muñoz‐García analyze three recent policy cases for decreasing sexual and gendered harassment. These cases involve three levels of analysis and three cultural contexts. The first is that of the higher education community in Chile; the second is the University of Hong Kong; and the third is the Philosophy of Education Society, an international academic society based in North America. In each case we analyze how sexual and gendered harassment has been (1) conceptualized, (2) responded to, and (3) contextualized. Through their analysis of these cases, Jackson and Muñoz‐García invite readers to reflect on practical and philosophical recommendations for moving forward antiharassment policies and programs, seen broadly.

Named or nameless: University ethics, confidentiality and sexual harassment

“…The university subsequently published its new Sexual Misconduct Policy in April 2019: 'The University of Otago is committed to creating an environment in which no form of sexual misconduct is tolerated and to having processes in place that reduce the likelihood of sexual misconduct.' 14 A similar situation is seen in Chile, where women academics engaged in a feminist strike across all universities in 2018, against well-known sexual harassment scandals and the lack of protection of victims (Jackson & Muñoz-García, 2019). Again, the universities' response was to introduce new protocols that decrease their liability, before engaging in critical investigations of the structures and practices which enabled multiple scandals to take place across higher education up to this point.…”

“…University institutional ethics often work as an indemnification policy rather than to promote and protect staff and students. The problem with this reputational protection is that it still leaves the said professor free in other contexts, such as participation in learned societies, to continue predatory sexual behaviour (Jackson, 2019). The university is unconcerned.…”

“…In philosophy of education there have also been concerns about sexual harassment of young women, which may lead to them not attending conferences or activities due to concerns over grooming and predatory behaviour wherein an older professor will encourage them to discuss their work and ideas, and maybe even suggest publication or collaboration, and then talk to them about their looks or touch them in inappropriate ways. That this happens in academic conferences may be shocking to some, but it is a not uncommon experience for younger women academics, especially those from Asian and ethnic minority groups (Jackson, 2019). Recently PES surveyed its members to discover how common experiences of sexual (as well as gendered and ethnic/ racial) harassment were, to develop a better understanding of the issues faced at the community level, after it discovered 'troubling behavior towards female PES members and PES members of color' (Jackson & Muñoz-García, 2019).…”

“…That this happens in academic conferences may be shocking to some, but it is a not uncommon experience for younger women academics, especially those from Asian and ethnic minority groups (Jackson, 2019). Recently PES surveyed its members to discover how common experiences of sexual (as well as gendered and ethnic/ racial) harassment were, to develop a better understanding of the issues faced at the community level, after it discovered 'troubling behavior towards female PES members and PES members of color' (Jackson & Muñoz-García, 2019).…”

“…As Jackson and Muñoz-García (2019) argue, efforts to decrease sexual harassment in universities depend crucially on how they conceive of harassment and respond to it. For one, ambiguity regarding what constitutes misconduct or harassment enables it to take place.…”