Harassment and Discrimination Among Postdocs in Biomedical and Clinical Sciences: A Social Conflict Theory Perspective

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 1:45 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Interdisciplinary Collaborations: STEM Research Across Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs (Table 11)

Abstract

The attrition of postdocs in academia, particularly in the biomedical and clinical sciences, has been a significant concern, which is partly due to workplace discrimination and harassment. The study presents a thematic analysis of 622 responses to free-text questions on harassment and discrimination embedded in a global survey of postdocs in the biomedical and clinical sciences academia. Employing the framework of social conflict theory, we explore the types of discrimination and harassment, the underlying power dynamics, cultural conflicts, and institutional bias. We also found that victims’ silence is not merely a personal choice but is deeply rooted in the broader context of power disparities and the structures that perpetuate them.

Author

• Yujie LI, Shanghai Jiao Tong University