Power and Relationships in Academia


An avalanche of voices accusing powerful men of sexual harassment has forced us to rethink the spaces we inhabit. The outpour has reiterated two characteristics of harassment at the workplace: its pervasiveness and its invisibility. In the Indian context, a Facebook post listing prominent academicians as alleged sexual harassers prompted a heated debate about the ethics of reporting harassment, amidst the inadequacy of institutional redressal mechanisms.
Harassment of any kind in academic spaces cannot be addressed without unpacking the structures which construct authority, including ideas of academic excellence and reputation. Patriarchy may not always manifest itself as visible harassment, but may often be intertwined with everyday friendship, mentorship, networking, and political camaraderie.
With this feature, EPW Engage aims to encourage conversations on the structure of power and relationships in academia. This is an ongoing project and this page will be updated to include new submissions. We look forward to your contributions.


