Below is a list of resources designed to assist family scholars when they are targeted by public harassment and abuse related to their research and scholarly activities.

In a statement, the NCFR Board of Directors condemned personal and political attacks against any and all scholars and called upon NCFR members to protect each other as scholars and as individuals. The Board strongly upholds the rights of all of our members to academic freedom. Read full statement.

Please also refer to the NCFR Code of Conduct for an understanding of expected professional behavior at NCFR in-person events, virtual forums, virtual events, and on social media. You may also report violations of this code to NCFR staff.

Glossary

Defining “Online Abuse”: A Glossary of Terms — PEN America

The first step to combatting online abuse is developing a shared language to identify and describe it. The phenomenon has many names: cyber harassment, cyberbullying, trolling, flaming, etc. Some terms are used interchangeably, others have been drained of meaning. PEN America prefers the terms online harassment or online abuse, which we define as the “pervasive or severe targeting of an individual or group online through harmful behavior.”

Guides

Tips for faculty facing online harassment and threats — PEN America

Online Harassment Field Manual — PEN America

Scholarship & Safety: A Guide for CU Boulder — University of Colorado Boulder

What You Can Do about Targeted Online Harassment — American Association of University Professors

Guide for Dealing with Online Harassment (2019) — American Historical Association

Faculty Support and Guidance — University of Iowa

Faculty Support Checklist for Department Chairs, Program Directors, Unit Heads — Boise State University

Best Practices for Conducting Risky Research and Protecting Yourself from Online Harassment — New York: Data & Society Research Institute

 

Video

Dr. Jennifer Lundquist on Addressing the Digital Harassment of Scholars — University of Massachusetts Amherst

Dr. Jennifer Lundquist on Handling a Crisis of Academic Freedom — University of Massachusetts Amherst

 

Additional Statements

1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure — American Association of University Professors

 

Additional Resources

Resources to Assist After Online Targeting/Doxing — Florida State University

Resources for protecting against online abuse — Committee to Protect Journalists

Responding to Harassment and Doxxing of Educators — National Education Association

Tools and Resources — Women's Media Center