Power dynamics and academic bullying: An overlooked phenomenon

Illustration: TBS

The immediate image evoked by the word "bullying" leads us to middle school and high school narratives of students victimised by the act of bullying by their classmates and other school peers. Psychologists have long been disseminating their ideas on the adverse effects of bullying on our mental and physical health. 

A very common aftermath of such early-life bullying is depression, aggression, violence in later life, low self-esteem, and other physiological dysfunctions that are detrimental to the nation and nature.

However, this evil does not only pervade the semi-innocent stage of adolescence; our academics are also oftentimes bullied by their peers and coworkers. There is a dimensional variation between high-school bullying and professional bullying in academia, for example, at universities.

Four years ago, I attended a job interview for a lecturer position at one of the so-called elite private universities in Bangladesh. To my surprise, I left the interview room having learned a lifelong lesson that not only shattered my perception of "teaching as a respectable profession" but also made me question the root cause of such indigestion of power and authority.

During the interview, the Vice Chancellor of the University verbally taunted and assaulted me, claiming I was underqualified for the position, despite having foreign educational and professional qualifications and teaching experience abroad.

This personal anecdote has significance in understanding the gravity of harassment within the academic space, even for someone who has no legal affiliation with the institute. If such can be the case in an interview, one can only imagine the sufferings of the appointed faculty members, not to mention the abuse I faced during my employment at another university.

Faculty bullying takes many forms, from verbal abuse and belittlement to exclusion from professional opportunities and physical intimidation. Such behaviour can have a severe negative impact on the mental health and well-being of the targeted faculty member and contribute to a negative culture within the institution.

The phenomenon of power dynamics and faculty bullying has become a growing concern in private universities in Bangladesh, presenting new challenges in the realm of higher education. The increasing number of private universities in Bangladesh, as of 2023, stands at 109, which presents opportunities for students and faculty members, but also results in power imbalances and bullying. 

At the root of power dynamics in private universities is an unequal distribution of power between the administration and faculty members. Many private universities are operated by "for-profit" organisations that prioritise profit maximisation over quality education. But what causes such faculty bullying culture to prevail?

My previous work experience at a well-reputed private university made me realise that a lack of accountability further perpetuates this malpractice, enabling the administration to abuse its power and mistreat its employees. Moreover, the lack of professional development opportunities for higher authorities can lead to resistance to change and a culture of bullying.

Another issue related to power dynamics and faculty bullying in private universities is nepotism and favouritism, where wealthy individuals or families use their power and influence to hire or promote faculty members based on personal connections rather than merit. This results in an environment where faculty members outside of the "inner circle" are excluded from professional opportunities and face harassment or even retaliation.

The problem with bullying is that it cannot be presented as a solid case of harassment, though it might cause grave mental harm. It is like slow poisoning, casting its venom over months or years. Archiving a series of incident reports in order to lodge a complaint against professional harassment is difficult.

We often realise that a more evident form of bullying is harassment. Both bullying and harassment involve a kind of humiliation, which, as an adult and professional with responsibilities, falls hard on a person's mental health. Such mental and behavioural violence oftentimes goes unnoticed, so the individual suffers internally and very often represses their feelings.

A couple of suicides have already been reported involving university teachers who killed themselves after not being able to bear their peers' lack of collegiate demeanour. That's just the tip of the iceberg. Such repression is never healthy, casts a malevolent impact on academic performance, interpersonal relationships, and mental health, and collectively slows down human resource development.

We have sexual harassment cells in almost all government and private educational entities, which helps mitigate the cases involving harassment, assault, and abuse. Well, to put it bluntly, it's effective only for those who raise their voice and can be indifferent towards so-called acts of stigmatisation. A portion still suffers silently from either social prejudices or peer pressure.

However, the problem with bullying is that it cannot be presented as a solid case of harassment, though it might cause grave mental harm. It is like slow poisoning, casting its venom over months or years. Archiving a series of incident reports in order to lodge a complaint against professional harassment is difficult.

A common premise of bullying in academia stems from the perceived sense of seniority in terms of age. We oftentimes perceive the elderly status of a senior teacher as synonymous with superiority, hence having all the right to be domineering towards the junior. Sometimes our demeanour does not change towards a student-turned-colleague. Such 'murubbiana' (acting like a senior) is an obstacle to professionalism and a proactive atmosphere.

To tackle power dynamics and faculty bullying, a multi-pronged approach is necessary. This includes the intervention of the University Grants Commission (UGC) in the establishment of institutional policies and procedures for reporting and addressing incidents of bullying.

Workplace bullying training and resources for both higher authority and faculty members, and a culture of transparency and accountability to hold universities responsible for their hiring practices, faculty promotion criteria, and professional development opportunities is necessary.

In this age of academic liberalism, an orthodox and hierarchical hegemony is a barrier to freedom of expression. Hence, it restrains any liberal thinking. Such an unhealthy hierarchy prone to dominance can also lead to cases of harassment, which corrupt the sanity of the academy. 

On the other hand, an assertive yet decent (if possible) attitude towards our peers and our self-confidence might go a long way in establishing a healthy interpersonal relationship. Our silence lets the evil go on and turns the evildoers into monsters.

Ultimately, addressing power dynamics and faculty bullying requires the collective effort of all members of the academic community. Only by working together can a positive and supportive environment be created for all faculty members, improving their mental health, job satisfaction, and academic outcomes.

Sketch: TBS

Imona Hossain is an English Language Teacher at the University of Adelaide (Australia)

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.