Workplace Bullying, Mobbing and Harassment in Academe: Faculty Experience

Abstract

The culture of academe and academics has been characterized as hostile and cruel with campuses described as “rife” with bullying. In this chapter, extant global research on bullying in academe is reviewed to assess the validity of these characterizations. Given the central role of faculty in shaping the nature of higher education, the experiences of faculty as targets, actors and witnesses of workplace bullying, mobbing and harassment are the focus. The unique features of academe and the nature of the university as a “workplace” and faculty as “workers” as well as the broader social, political and economic context are considered for (1) how they shape the prevalence, nature, dynamics and impact of bullying, mobbing and harassment and (2) resultant insights that have value for the broader workplace bullying literature. Key insights include the status-based nature of bullying, the public and the state as powerful yet understudied actors and the critical influence of culturally shaped behavioural norms in defining what is and is not bullying, who should be involved in assessing and addressing bullying and the limitations of the policy solution. The chapter concludes with a discussion of future research directions as well as current and future practical actions for addressing and ameliorating these destructive and disruptive interactions. This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.