Sexual harassment in academia: A Problem of Political Responsibility

Sexual harassment is a major problem in academia. There is still no solution on how to prevent this harassment. The problem is related to academic environments of domination and oppression and related to gender inequality. Sexual harassment is a structural problem. It’s an example of structural injustice as stated by Iris Marion Young and is essentially an example of structural epistemic injustice. We are responsible for the structures we are in. If we recognise structural epistemic injustice as sexual harassment, we are also responsible for changing it.

We need to talk about how to transform these structures in the example of academia. In this workshop, we invite those who are interested in the issue and want to make their voices heard. We will outline the problem in terms of structural epistemic injustice and political responsibility. Then, we will share our experiences with you and talk about how we can create a transformation together. Let's think together and seek for solutions together

Ground Rules for Safety Discussion

1. Respecting all gender
Sexual harassment is a problem potentially experienced by all genders, but the perspective of 'women' may be emphasized in this forum because women are more likely to be oppressed from a structural viewpoint. In this regard, the term woman is used while being mindful of the fact that its use reinforces gender binary norms. This does not imply that we are underestimating the harm caused to other gender identities, and we are committed to respecting individuals of all identities, including female, male, and LGBTQ+.

2. For your psychological safety
If you feel uncomfortable during the discussion due to being reminded of something, please do not hesitate to leave the room.
If there is a conversation that you think is inappropriate or invasive, please address it on the spot if possible. The person being asked to clarify the intention of their remarks is encouraged to speak again, using expressions that are easy to understand from the other person's point of view.
If there is anything you would like to address but is difficult to do so on the spot, please feel free to speak to the organisers afterwards. We can continue the conversation during coffee break or in a more relaxed setting.

3. Personal information
If you want to share episodes or personal experiences that identify individual participants and do not want them mentioned outside the workshop, please say 'keep this between us.' Participants are asked to keep this confidential.
Recording and filming are not permitted.