Gaslit! An Examination of Bullying on Doctoral Students

Abstract

Bullying is the intentional and repeated infliction of duress upon another person. It may be psychological or physical, subtle or surreptitious; yet, regardless of form, the bully seeks to marginalize and oppress another in order to secure and/or enhance his or her own status (McDonald, 2011). Although bullying is often associated with children or adolescents, it is not restricted to youth and many adults experience bullying, incivility, and violence from other adults, reinforcing a culture of humiliation and antagonization. Like any form of violence, bullying affects the individual and the systems in which that individual operates. Whether overt or covert, bullying behavior is frequently embedded within the cultural context of organizations and often occurs in places of rigid structure, strict class division, and inflexible hierarchies, including some workplaces and places of higher education (Misawa & Roland, 2015). This study explores the presence of adult-on-adult bullying within the social environment of academia, as experienced by doctoral students.