Comparing the #MeToo Movement to Power Abuse in Academia

Article 2
The Casting Couch of Research Groups
Profiling Abusers and Victims in an Enabling Environment

← Read Article 1

When the Weinstein allegations broke in 2017 and #MeToo went global, most people received the news as the result of an accumulated misconduct in the entertainment industry: powerful men, vulnerable young female actors, and a culture that protected the former at the expense of the latter. Even though it rapidly spread to other sectors concerning the public sphere like media and politics, fewer people connected the same dynamic to a place that looks nothing like a film set, the research group. 

Research institutions run on a remarkably similar machine to the one that fostered the abuse in Hollywood, albeit minus the glamour. A small number Continue Reading

Join Us for the 11th General Assembly of the Leibniz PhD Network – Registration has Opened !

We are delighted to invite doctoral researchers from across the Leibniz Association to the 11th General Assembly of the Leibniz PhD Network, taking place on 9 and 10 November 2026 at GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences in Mannheim.

The General Assembly provides an opportunity to connect with fellow doctoral researchers, exchange ideas and help shape the future of the Leibniz PhD Network.

Further details, including the preliminary agenda and registration form, are available on the General Assembly webpage.

General Assembly Webpage

Registration is open until 21 October 2026.

We kindly ask all PhD representatives to share this announcement with the doctoral researchers at their institutes.

For general questions, please contact spokesperson@leibniz-phd.net. For questions about the venue, please contact lena.rembser@gesis.org.

We look forward to welcoming you to Mannheim!

Comparing the #MeToo Movement to Power Abuse in Academia

Article 1
No Incident Is Isolated
Rethinking How Academia Hears a Single Complaint 

Read Article 2 →

A few years ago, the world watched an industry built on charisma, gatekeeping, and closed doors come apart in public. #MeToo did not begin as a movement. The term has existed since 2006 but was popularized after the Weinstein allegations broke in 2017, revealing over three decades of sexual crimes which led to his immediate firing and eventual conviction. Throughout the years, the list of victims grew one private settlement at a time. Treated at first the way institutions always treat these things: as unfortunate, as unusual, as an isolated incident, as a matter between two people destined to be settled quietly behind closed doors and kept out of the trade press. What eventually broke that pattern was not Continue Reading

Dataset publication: Power Abuse Survey 2025

The Leibniz PhD Network has published the dataset of the Power Abuse Survey 2025 on Zenodo.

The survey was conducted by the Working Group Contract Situation & Prevention of Power Abuse to better understand mechanisms of power abuse within the Leibniz Association and to support evidence-based discussions on how to improve working conditions for doctoral researchers. The survey was open from March 29 to June 13, 2025, and received more than 400 responses from doctoral researchers across the Leibniz Association.

With this dataset publication, we aim to make the results transparent, reusable, and citable while respecting the anonymity and privacy of participants. The dataset provides an important basis for future discussions with doctoral researchers, representatives, institutes, and administrative bodies on how to strengthen prevention structures, support those affected, and foster a fair and respectful research environment.

The dataset is available via Zenodo:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20670450

The story does not end with the dataset. A detailed report is currently in the pipeline and coming soon. Stay tuned!

We thank everyone who participated in the survey and contributed to this important work. Your responses help us raise awareness, identify structural challenges, and advocate for safer and more respectful conditions for doctoral researchers within the Leibniz Association.

For questions, feedback, or further information, please contact:
ppa.leibnizphd@outlook.com

8th Future Workshop – Registration Open!

On May 29th and 30th the 8th Future Workshop of the PhD Network will take place in Halle (Saale) at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB). This is a space where your ideas matter. Join a dynamic community of researchers ready to amplify voices, identify challenges, and create solutions together. This is your chance to engage with peers, exchange experiences, and shape the future of science in an open and collaborative environment.

Why Join?

  • Make Your Voice Heard – Discuss the challenges you face in academia and work together to find solutions.
  • Find Strength in Community – Connect with peers, seek advice and learn about other experiences.
  • Shape the Future of Science – Develop strategies that could drive change in research and academia.
  • Engage in working groups – Participate in PhD-network to develop practical ideas and actions.

Be Part of the Workshop!

This is your opportunity to connect, contribute, and create impact. Register today for the Future Workshop and be part of the conversation. Please register here until May 15th, 2026. Please share this announcement to your PhD peers.