Description

A survey conducted by VUB professor and sociologist Pieter-Paul Verhaeghe reveals that about 45 percent of academic staff at the five Flemish universities has been intimidated or harassed at least once during their scientific career. This includes trolling, attack on the academic credibility, threats of violence, and other hostile actions both from inside and outside their institutions. The survey raises pressing questions about the impact of such intimidation and, more importantly, what steps can be taken to address it. 

The effects of intimidation are well-documented, often creating a “chilling effect”—a phenomenon that has been extensively studied regarding public watchdogs, particularly in relation to journalists. Similarly, such tactics may hinder researchers, affecting their work and impacting academic freedom and human rights, such as freedom of expression and the right to information. In this Rights Bites session, we invited Pieter-Paul Verhaeghe to present his findings, sparking a broader discussion on intimidation within academia and the links with human rights. The discussion will be led by Lien Stolle, PhD Researcher at Ghent University, who focusses her research on the use of digital intimidation against environmental defenders. 

Link to the report: https://researchportal.vub.be/en/publications/the-academic-intimidation-and-harassment-of-scientists-at-flemish