Workplace Bullying, Mobbing and Harassment in Academe: Faculty Experience

Exploring the Escalation Process of Academic Bullying: A Qualitative Study

“…However, the number of studies unveiling the process of bullying is relatively less (e.g. Rai and Agarwal, 2017), specifically in academic bullying (Miller et al, 2018;Krishna and Soumyaja, 2020;Keashly, 2021). The present study approached bullying from a gender-neutral perspective rather than a gendered perspective; therefore, we answered the call by Krishna and Soumyaja (2020) to explore the faculty experience from a gender-neutral perspective.…”

“…Academic institutions' unique cultural and structural characteristics contribute to academic bullying (Keashly, 2021). Generally, higher education organisations have top-down structures (Twale and De Luca, 2008) and university administration usually fails to effectively manage academic bullying complaints despite having an anti-bullying policy (Hodgins and McNamara, 2019).…”

Perceived and ideal conflict cultures in academe: Creating the conflict cultures survey

“…An academic institution provides an ideal setting to test the Conflict Cultures model because “conflict in most complex organizations such as universities and colleges is sewn into the fabric of the institution” (Gmelch & Carroll, 1991, p.110). Bullying, harassment and mobbing are common on college campuses (Keashly, 2019). The structure and nature of higher education creates additional conflict.…”

Workplace Bullying in Academia: A Conditional Process Model

“…Workplace bullying refers to “repeated actions and practices that are directed against one or more workers, that are unwanted by the target, that may be carried out deliberately or unconsciously, but clearly cause humiliation, offense and distress, and that may interfere with work performance and/or cause an unpleasant working environment” (Einarsen et al, 2020, p. 10). Keashly (2019) noted that around 25% of academic faculty have been bullied within the past 12 months and 50%–75% of faculty have been exposed to and/or witnessed bullying. Academic bullying includes incidents similar to those found in other workplaces including excessive monitoring, humiliation, unfair criticism, spreading rumors, yelling, withholding information, and isolating (Dereshiwsky, 2020; Giorgi, 2012; Goldberg et al, 2013; Lester, 2009; Meriläinen & Kõiv, 2019; Raineri et al, 2011; Simpson & Cohen, 2004).…”

“…All of these factors change the potential power dynamics involved in workplace bullying. As Keashly (2019, p. 9) explained:The faculty’s unique organizational citizen status as free-thinking, autonomous actors with leadership of knowledge production as well as the research and education mission of the university, their power as evaluators, and their positioning and training as critics shapes faculty expression, what is considered by faculty (but perhaps not others!) as appropriate (normative or “reasonable”) conduct (and thus, what is not) and also the management of faculty conduct.…”