Reckoning up: sexual harassment and violence in the neoliberal university

Abstract

This paper situates sexual harassment and violence in the neoliberal university. Using data from a 'composite ethnography' representing twelve years of research, I argue that institutional inaction on these issues reflects how they are 'reckoned up' in the context of gender and other structures. The impact of disclosure is projected in market terms: this produces institutional airbrushing which protects both the institution and those (usually privileged men) whose welfare is bound up with its success. Staff and students are differentiated by power/value relations, which interact with gender and intersecting categories. Survivors are often left with few alternatives to speaking out in the 'outrage economy' of the corporate media: however, this can support institutional airbrushing and bolster punitive technologies. I propose the method of Grounded Action Inquiry, implemented with attention to Lorde's work on anger, as a parrhesiastic practice of 'speaking in' to the neoliberal institution.

‘Not one of the family’: Gender and precarious work in the neoliberal university

“…A number of our female respondents raised the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace as a concern and this certainly merits further investigation. Though no personal accounts were put forward in responses to our questionnaire, we know from research in the UK (Phipps, 2018) and on other sectors that women who labour in work that is precarious, low paid and exploitative are also more likely to experience sexual harassment and violence in the workplace (Kensbock, Bailey, Jennings, & Patiar, 2015;Waugh, 2010). Such occurrences have devastating consequences for victims that include severe career disruption and lifelong earning losses (McLaughlin, Uggen, & Blackstone, 2017).…”

Cultural Religious Challenges in Handling Sexual Violence Cases in Indonesian Islamic Institutions

“…Nowadays cases of sexual violence are increasingly diverse and continue to be studied in various aspects. The form of sexual harassment and various related factors were the focus of Phipps' research [2] and Pugh and Becker who observed the development of cases in public universities [3]. Meanwhile Pavitra and Becker observed the development of cases of sexual violence in schools [4], as did Ageton who examined the forms of abuse experienced by school students [5].…”

“…Phipps points out that so far there seems to be no serious institutional action addressing the problem of sexual harassment and violence in the college context [2]. This is…”

Las universidades frente a la violencia de género. El caso de la Universidad Autónoma de Guanajuato

“…Sin mecanismos pertinentes de atención y con personas que no han sido sensibilizadas en la perspectiva de género ni en atención a la violencia de género, era muy fácil actuar protegiendo al agresor y poniendo en entredicho la veracidad de la denuncia, aduciendo intereses ocultos (la estudiante se quiere vengar por alguna situación concreta y personal que tuvo con el profesor) o corresponsabilidad en la agresión (la estudiante lo provocó). Era el terreno ideal para la negación y el silencio institucional, con un juego de simulación que, en el mejor de los casos, aplicaba la táctica de "barrer bajo la alfombra" (Phips, 2018).…”

“…Séptimo, como ya se ha destacado en otras investigaciones (Barreto, 2017;Barreto 2018;Phips, 2018), las movilizaciones llevadas a cabo por las estudiantes han sido fundamentales para romper con el silencio institucional en las universidades. Cuando las estudiantes han sido capaces de alzar sus voces, de atraer la atención de la opinión pública, es cuando se ha logrado visibilizar la problemática y hacer que las autoridades no puedan seguir comportándose como si no supieran de ella.…”