Workplace Bullying in Higher Education

This recently published volume includes 9 research-based chapters written for an audience of HR professionals, academic managers, researchers, and academics on the subject of workplace bullying in colleges and universities. It brings together an inter-disciplinary team of authors from varied professions to present a timely text, relevant to both researchers and practitioners, that bridges the gap between education and management.I was impressed by the wealth of information provided in the text ranging from theory, empirical evidence, ethical considerations, legal recourse, and numerous HR programs/initiatives. However, I was distracted by discrepancies across chapters including varying emphasis on/citation of empirical research, contradicting suggestions for intervention (also mentioned by the previous reviewer), and discrepant terminology (i.e., "victims" versus "targets"). I was also disappointed not to see more information on up and coming issues related to workplace bullying such as cyber-bullying and culture (whether cultural considerations or simply putting the American evidence in a cultural context).In all, I would definitely recommend the text to provide an overview of the field of workplace bullying in academia. I would simply direct my fellow researchers to chapters 1-4, whereas individuals with more applied interests would likely appreciate chapters 6, 8 and 9.

Exceent book on a tough topic. Well done

The chapters in this edited book are authored by experienced researchers in the field of bullying in academe. Taken individually, each chapter offers apparently useful research, information, and advice from the perspectives of the target (victim), bystander, HR professional, unit, institution, etc. However, findings and advice on effective victim responses to bullying are directly contradictory across several of the chapters. For example, in Chapter 1, victims who report bullying to HR or the union, or who make formal complaints, also report that these actions make the situation worse. However, in several other chapters, such formal reporting is the specific strategy recommended for victims. In the concluding chapter, the editor fails to address these contradictions and simply summarizes the book's chapters independently without providing synthesis or consolidation. The chapters do speak in a single voice in recommending that departments, units, and institutions create and enforce anti-bullying policies. While such policies are likely to be necessary in changing a climate of bullying, no research is reported on the extent to which they are effective.

I have read a few of the chapters of this book that Dr. Lester has edited. Overall, I agree with the concept of the book as applied to bullying in the academic workforce, particularly as it potentially relates to non-tenured track and those facing the tenure bid. She definitely knows her stuff. Both Jaime and I attended the same PhD program and she has a solid theoretical foundation in social sciences as I also do. I do not mean this latter comment to be ad hominem but I wish that she would practice what she preaches as she was a bit of a bully when it came to point blank telling me that I need to finish my dissertation. The reason that my dissertation took 2 years longer than most PhD education students, albeit normal average time with respect to PhD candidates in the fields of humanities and social sciences, is that it was cutting edge research based on primary data collected, mixed methods, a large scale survey and focus groups, which I received a generous fellowship and nominated for an award.

Ethical? Form of bullying?I can't help but notice that this author has recommended her own book while also posting horrible reviews for competing voices. Isn't the goal of education to offer a diversity of voices? How can such reviews be seen as objective or scholarly?

Very interesting book of value of anyone in this field.