Fostering Harassment-Free Geography Departments: Proactive Strategies for Departments and Their Leaders

Drawing on the 2024 American Association of Geographers symposium titled “Strategies for Leading a Harassment-Free Department,” this article offers practical guidance for geography departments seeking to prevent and address sexual misconduct, bullying, and retaliation. Harassment in academic settings is neither rare nor abstract; it can exploit power differentials, undermine professional contributions, and shield those responsible while discouraging participation and retention among faculty, staff, and students. As a result, such behaviors can undercut efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within academic communities. This article presents an actionable framework for department leaders and faculty to foster harassment-free environments. The suggestions are grounded in scholarship from geography and related disciplines, as well as evidence-based practices implemented across a range of universities. The focus is on proactive leadership, prevention, and community-building strategies that support sustained cultural change rather than reactive, case-by-case responses. A central insight from the symposium is the importance of developing a departmental code of conduct. Department-level discussions can clarify shared expectations, prioritize safety, and address contexts unique to geography, including field work, study trips, and other off-campus settings where risks might be heightened. The article outlines key challenges facing departments, including preventing misconduct in field settings, addressing bullying and academic incivility, and promoting practices such as bystander intervention. It concludes by considering how department leaders can resist growing external pressures to overlook behaviors that erode trust and well-being, offering strategies to support inclusive, collegial, and ethically grounded academic workplaces both on campus and in the field.