[INDOLOGY] Sexism and Bias on INDOLOGY governing committee

Tue Apr 2 12:11:06 UTC 2019

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Dr. Silk raises a valid point, which is that I am slightly vague in my
account of what has happened. I would encourage everyone to be sensitive to
the fact that other committee members have repeatedly told me, often
angrily, to not share their emails and to not discuss any of this with the
list at large. There are real risks for women who choose to come forward
with these sorts of concerns.

That said, I do point to some specific things, such as an attempt to
encourage me to resign when I pointed out bias (March 2019; in an e-mail),
refusals to talk about possible bias (numerous e-mails; fall 2018), and
persistent demands that I keep silent about what I experience as abuse and
intimidation (repeated over the past year or so). To add another specific
case, last week a committee member wrote to Dr. Paturi and chastised him
for writing 'thank you' to the entire list regarding the post I sent around
sharing Anand Venkatkrishnan's excellent blog post on female Sanskritists
and sexism. Indology members say thank you to the list all the time without
complaint, and so this was a targeted silencing of a discussion about
discrimination against women in our profession (and it worked). I think
this is a fair amount of precision and several discrete instances. I do not
know whether the intent was sexist or biased in any specific case, but the
effects were.

So far as how to move forward, I recommend a few concrete steps. All are
aimed to redirecting the committee's energy toward making both the
committee and the list a more equitable, welcoming place. (1) I want gender
parity, or at least approaching gender parity, on the INDOLOGY governing
committee by adding female members. I think everyone on this list should
value and want gender parity. (2) I want the committee to take further
steps to address bias issues, whether that is bias training, a system for
adjudicating complaints, shaking up committee membership, or something
else. Whatever we decide, I would like those steps announced to the list at
large. (3) Personally, I think that the individual who suggested that I
resign after pointing out bias should instead, himself, consider stepping
down. But I will not press this particular point.

Another thing that I wish to achieve here is awareness and space for
conversation. Indology as a discipline may be focused on classical India,
but we exist in the modern world, and modern issues of bias are a
legitimate topic for scholars to discuss on INDOLOGY (preferably without
declarations by list members that a given discussion of bias and
discrimination is inappropriate on INDOLOGY). I would like issues of bias
and discrimination treated seriously on this list and on the governing
committee going forward.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

All the Best,

Audrey Truschke
Assistant Professor
Department of History
Rutgers University-Newark
Audrey Truschke
Assistant Professor
Department of History
Rutgers University-Newark

On Tue, Apr 2, 2019 at 1:18 PM Jon Skarpeid via INDOLOGY <
indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

> “Given equal qualifications”, I do not find it a discriminatory that
> institutions prefer gender, minority, or whatever. All branches of public
> life should (somehow) reflect the population. “Equal qualifications” is a
> soft tool.
>
>
>
> But I agree with Jonathan, we should leave German or Austrian higher
> education. However, if sexism is a reality at Indology, we can’t simply
> dismiss the debate by referring to the “Sanskrit conference, and matters of
> that ilk”.
>
>
>
> Best,
>
> Jon
>
>
>
>
>
> *Fra:* Jonathan Silk <kauzeya at gmail.com>
> *Sendt:* tirsdag 2. april 2019 13:03
> *Til:* Aleix Ruiz Falqués <arfalques at cantab.net>
> *Kopi:* Jon Skarpeid <jon.skarpeid at uis.no>; Indology List (
> indology at list.indology.info) <indology at list.indology.info>
> *Emne:* Re: [INDOLOGY] Sexism and Bias on INDOLOGY governing committee
>
>
>
> Dear All
>
> First, I want to clarify that I think these discussions are important--in
> the context of Indology.
>
> However, this list is not, in my opinion, the place to debate (etc)
> institutional forms of discrimination, fundamentally important as they no
> doubt are. There are so many things which so many of us are passionate
> about, but this list is about Indian Studies, and while that surely
> includes the conduct of the management of the list itself, the recently
> discussed Sanskrit conference, and matters of that ilk, it does not
> include, I would maintain,  German or Austrian higher education as a whole,
> for example. So my plea to all of us is to focus on the topics relevant to
> this list here, and find other fora for other conversations.
>
> Thank you for listening,
>
> Joanthan
>
>
>
> On Tue, Apr 2, 2019 at 12:30 PM Aleix Ruiz Falqués via INDOLOGY <
> indology at list.indology.info> wrote:
>
> Dear Jon and Agnes,
>
>
>
> The clause you cite automatically appears in any job advertisement in
> Austria and Germany in the public sector. It is a legal requirement and has
> nothing to do with the university or department in question. Such clauses
> were installed at some point because of (among other things) the
> appallingly low number of female professors (some 14% or so at the time the
> legislation was introduced).
>
>
>
> Thank you for the comment. I apologise, I didn't know that universities to
> not follow the rules. I thought that this clause was actually taken into
> account. The statement is discriminatory against men, nonetheless, and as
> an applicant, I wondered if it was really worth trying. Again, that could
> be the whole purpose of the clause. I don´t know. I just felt it was unfair
> to men, not to men as a social class, but to particular individuals who may
> have nothing to do with structural sexism. If you think that´s not the
> case, then we disagree and that is fine.
>
>
>
> what’s the problem with “Given *equal qualifications*, *preference will
> be given to female applicants”*?
>
>
>
> The problem is not in this line, but in the previous one, where it says *non-discriminatory
> employment policy*. Will you agree that when preference is given on the
> basis of gender, this is a discriminatory statement? Perhaps I got it wrong.
>
>
>
> Jon, when I say that a thousand things can be changed I mean they should
> be, and I think the debate is positive, including the debate on
> discriminatory clauses. I did not mean anything against Audrey, whom I
> personally know I respect very much, as a friend and as a scholar.
> Apologies if anyone felt offended. I am looking forward to what Audrey has
> to say.
>
>
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Aleix
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, 2 Apr 2019 at 15:58, Jon Skarpeid via INDOLOGY <
> indology at list.indology.info> wrote:
>
> «A thousand things that can be improved» is the argument of
> relativization. Any wishes for change can be met with relativization, but
> it’s a poor argument.
>
>
>
> And dear Aleix, what’s the problem with “Given *equal qualifications*, *preference
> will be given to female applicants”*? Perhaps one day we will need to
> change “female” with “male”. Who knows?
>
>
>
> Best,
>
> Jon
>
>
>
> *Fra:* INDOLOGY <indology-bounces at list.indology.info> *På vegne av* Aleix
> Ruiz Falqués via INDOLOGY
> *Sendt:* tirsdag 2. april 2019 11:11
> *Til:* Audrey Truschke <audrey.truschke at gmail.com>
> *Kopi:* Indology List <indology at list.indology.info>
> *Emne:* Re: [INDOLOGY] Sexism and Bias on INDOLOGY governing committee
>
>
>
> Dear Audrey,
>
>
>
> I am sure that there are a thousand things that can be improved. I think I
> know how you feel. Please see the following clause in one of the jobs I
> applied for, in Vienna, realted to Indology:
>
>
>
> The University pursues *a non-discriminatory employment policy* and
> values equal opportunities, as well as diversity (
> http://diversity.univie.ac.at/). The University lays special emphasis on
> increasing the number of women in senior and in academic positions. Given *equal
> qualifications*, *preference will be given to female applicants. *
>
>
>
> So much for non-discrimination.
>
>
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Aleix
>
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, 2 Apr 2019 at 14:25, Audrey Truschke via INDOLOGY <
> indology at list.indology.info> wrote:
>
> Dear Friends and Colleagues,
>
> I am writing to call your attention to the entrenched, worsening sexism I
> have been experiencing on the INDOLOGY governing committee over the past
> year or so (I have served on the committee for six years). Other committee
> members have warned me not to publicly discuss the bullying and abuse that
> I have faced from them in private. I break my silence and go against their
> explicit instructions here.
>
>
> I have repeatedly faced sexism within the INDOLOGY governing committee,
> ranging from patronizing comments to silencing of discussions about bias to
> overtly different standards applied to male and female members of the
> committee and list. I have tried many times to raise these issues
> internally among the committee and privately with specific individuals. I
> have been met with blanket denials, belittling of my concerns, declarations
> that discussing sexism is not a substantive issue, accusations of being a
> troublemaker, and flat out refusals to discuss gender issues. Indology as a
> discipline has deep-seated issues with male privilege, discrimination
> against female scholars, and even outright misogyny. The issues within
> INDOLOGY's male-dominated governing committee are arguably a reflection of
> this larger set of problems that systematically drives women out of the
> discipline. If Indology or INDOLOGY are going to survive in any worthwhile
> form, we must face our ongoing issues of sexism and bias. I have made
> numerous suggestions to the INDOLOGY governing committee in this regard,
> including striving for gender parity on the committee by adding more female
> members, conducting committee business more openly as a check on bullying,
> and undergoing bias training. I hope the committee follows up on these
> suggestions. But, to date, I have seen only a desire to circle the wagons
> and deny bias, rather than any serious attempt to make the committee or the
> list a more equitable place.
>
> Last week, following another case where I documented and called out a
> committee member for acting with bias, that committee member wrote that if
> he were in my position, he would consider resigning from the committee. In
> other words, if I find members of the INDOLOGY committee discriminate
> against women, then I should bow out. I find that suggestion highly
> inappropriate, and I do not acquiesce to it here. But I will no longer
> serve as a punching bag for men who insist I keep quiet.
>
>
>
> I expect to face significant pushback and recriminations for shedding
> light on the dark underbelly of the INDOLOGY governing committee. But,
> unlike many of my fellow committee members, I think that this is an issue
> for the list at large. Many of us, myself included, find scholarly value in
> this listserv. But knowledge exists within power structures, and I find
> that I can no longer stomach what I have to overlook in order to quietly
> run this forum. I think it is time for us to talk about the key issues of
> bias and sexism facing our discipline that make women unwelcome at every
> turn, including in running this listserv.
>
>
>
> All the best,
>
> Audrey
>
>
>
> Audrey Truschke
>
> Assistant Professor
>
> Department of History
> Rutgers University-Newark
>
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>
>
>
> --
>
> Aleix Ruiz-Falqués
>
> Pali Lecturer
>
> Head of the Department of Pali and Languages
>
> Shan State Buddhist University
> Phaya Phyu, Taunggyi, Myanmar 140101
> (+95) 09428757648
>
> _______________________________________________
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> committee)
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> unsubscribe)
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> Aleix Ruiz-Falqués
>
> Pali Lecturer
>
> Head of the Department of Pali and Languages
>
> Shan State Buddhist University
> Phaya Phyu, Taunggyi, Myanmar 140101
> (+95) 09428757648
>
> _______________________________________________
> INDOLOGY mailing list
> INDOLOGY at list.indology.info
> indology-owner at list.indology.info (messages to the list's managing
> committee)
> http://listinfo.indology.info (where you can change your list options or
> unsubscribe)
>
>
>
> --
>
> J. Silk
> Leiden University
>
> Leiden University Institute for Area Studies, LIAS
>
> Matthias de Vrieshof 3, Room 0.05b
>
> 2311 BZ Leiden
>
> The Netherlands
>
>
>
> copies of my publications may be found at
>
> https://leidenuniv.academia.edu/JASilk
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