Bullying in academics! Many of us think it is a taboo. What is shown above is tip of the
iceberg, millions of cases go unreported. Bullying by the research supervisors is prevalent across
the globe. There are many laws, rules, code of conduct and forums to overcome this menace but
of very little use.
WHAT IS BULLYING? OR WHAT CONSTITUTES BULLYING?
According to Rayner & Hoel, bullying behaviours in the workplace can be divided into
five categories:
“(1) Threat to professional status (e.g., public professional humiliation, accusation
regarding lack of effort);
(2) Threat to personal standing (e.g., name-calling, insults, intimidation);
(3) Isolation (e.g., preventing access to opportunities, physical or social isolation,
withholding of information);
(4) Overwork (e.g., undue pressure, impossible deadlines); and
(5) Destabilization (e.g., failure to give credit when due, meaningless tasks, removal of
responsibility, repeated reminders of blunders, setting up to fail)” (Rayner & Hoel, 1997, p. 183).
SYMPTOMS OF BULLYING BY THE SUPERVISER
One can easily identify by observing the changes in the behavior of supervisor or
professor. Some of the acts which can be considered as bullying as discussed below:
1. The supervisor calls the researcher ‘ unfit, good for nothing , careless, foolish,stupid
etc
2. Not trusting the researcher’s work as genuine
3. Not showing interest in successful completion of the project
4. Procrastinating i.e., deliberately delaying approvals
5. Not permitting to attend workshops, seminars etc without his consent
6. Complains the researcher being lazy in his /her work
7. The supervisor extracts personal information or tries to more of your personal life
8. Fixing the meetings beyond the working hours
9. Asking the researcher to meet at a restaurant or home
10. Passing comments on the researcher’s physique, telling to increase/reduce weight.
11. Talking too much about personal experiences of exploitation by his supervisor
12. Sharing or forwarding inappropriate material/videos, text etc
13. Often telling how other researchers satisfied his desires
14. Physical abuse by the supervisor.
15. Demanding money, gifts etc from the researcher.
IDEAS TO OVERCOME THIS PROBLEM
1. The researcher may do some research about the behavior of the supervisor before
getting admission
2. Female researchers must avoid male supervisor to the maximum extent or ensure
that you have the company of some of your male friends while doing the course
3. Female researchers should avoid meeting the bullying supervisor, after the
working hours, alone or at home.
4. Meet the deadlines and do not delay the work assigned to you
5. Build good rapport with other professors or researchers in the campus mostly lone
sheep is attacked by the sheep
6. Make all payments to college or university in time to avoid scope for abusing
you.
7. Express your disapproval immediately if the researcher is making unwanted
advances which you don’t like.
8. Improve your language, writing ,analytical skills to avoid the researchers
criticizing you.
9. Show great amount of self confidence about completion of your work.
10. Don’t offer money or gifts unless demanded.