Halls of Shame

Academia can be a wonderful career path, but the power differentials at play in university life can sometimes turn a promising career into a nightmare. In this book we'll investigate academic bullying: what it is, what it looks like, and what you can do if you experience or witness it. Maybe you're unsure how to distinguish bullying from workplace norms. Perhaps you fear going to your lab because of a toxic work environment. Maybe you feel stuck between speaking up on behalf of yourself or others, or remaining silent to protect yourself. Or perhaps, you've never experienced academic bullying yourself, but want to understand it so you can help prevent it. Although this book specifically addresses bullying in academic settings, much of what's discussed is relevant in industry settings as well. This is especially true for industries whose employees frequently come from academia, such as pharmaceutics and biotechnology, healthcare and medical research, and technology and computer science, to name a few. Sadly, many of the unethical behaviors modeled, learned, and rewarded in academia become entrenched and follow perpetrators wherever they go. Whatever your experience, this book will answer common questions about academic bullying so you can recognize it when you see it, know what to do about it, and understand how to protect yourself and others.