A Lawsuit Accuses Harvard of Ignoring Sexual Harassment by a Professor
On February 8, 2022, three Harvard graduate students, Lilia Kilburn, Margaret Czerwienski, and Amulya Mandava, filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, accusing it of ignoring years of sexual harassment by Anthropology professor John L. Comaroff and allowing him to intimidate students who reported him. The suit includes allegations of unwanted kissing and groping, and claims that Comaroff warned Kilburn she could face "corrective rape" in Africa for being in a same-sex relationship. Comaroff's lawyers deny the allegations, stating his advice was about safety concerns. The lawsuit has polarized faculty, with prominent scholars initially supporting Comaroff but later retracting their support after learning more details. Harvard's handling of the case has faced criticism from both sides, highlighting issues with Title IX processes and the university's response to sexual misconduct complaints. The controversy underscores broader challenges in academia regarding sexual harassment, faculty power dynamics, and institutional accountability.| Creator |
Hartocollis, Anemona
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| Publisher |
The New York Times
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| Date |
2022-02-08
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| Format |
Digital
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| Local URL |
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/08/us/harvard-sexual-harassment-lawsuit.html
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| Tags | Advocacy, Legal, National Media |
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| Date Added | July 9, 2024 |
| Date Modifed | January 7, 2025 |
| Collection | Harvard and John Comaroff |