Scientific sabotage

In theory

Scientific sabotage is defined by Naezer et al. (2019, p.19) as “all behaviors that directly obstruct a person’s work as a scientist.” As such, it is considered to be a form of harassment that is limited to the scientific environment. Within the category of scientific sabotage, Naezer et al. distinguish five sub-categories:

1. Making a person’s work, ideas and expertise invisible.
2. Refusal of promotion while a candidate is suitable and a position available, or the denial of courses, tasks and functions that are needed for a promotion.
3. Blocking a person’s access to certain spaces, documents, objects or pieces of information which they need in order to do their job. 
4. Labelling of people as incompetent vis-à-vis colleagues from within or outside that person’s organisation. 
5. Physical or financial destruction of a person’s research project.

In practice

The current academic workplace in the Netherlands is often described as a hierarchical, competitive and individualistic workplace culture, where positions and grants are scarce and contracts are often temporary and precarious, especially for women and non-Dutch scholars. A workplace where this academic culture is the standard is prone to the occurrence of scientific sabotage and other types of harassment.