APT Anti-Harassment Policy

1. Purpose

APT is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all members, staff, and participants, free from discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and bullying. 

Harassment prevention is an opportunity to reflect upon what kind of community we want to be. APT was formed to create a supportive space where political theorists could engage ideas that by their very nature are challenging and even incendiary. This work is achieved best in an atmosphere dedicated to intellectual rigor, diversity, openness, mutual respect, and the dignity and thriving of all participants. 

Pursuant of these ideals, APT is dedicated to ensuring equality of opportunity and treatment for all members and participants, regardless of gender, gender identity or expression, sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion or religious belief, age, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, disabilities, socioeconomic status, or any other reason not related to scholarly merit.

APT also recognizes that there is a distinction between victimization through harassment and legitimate, justifiable, and appropriate constructive criticism. Nothing in this document shall be construed as a limitation on the ability of APT members to evaluate and critique the merit of one another's work.

The following Anti-Harassment Policy outlines expectations for all those who attend or participate in APT meetings, committees, and events. It reminds APT participants that all professional academic ethics and norms apply as standards of behavior and interaction at these meetings. The Anti-Harassment Policy can also be found on the APT website and also as part of the registration process for meetings. 

2. Expected Behavior

All members of APT are expected to abide by this Anti-Harassment Policy in all APT meeting venues, including ancillary events as well as official and unofficial social gatherings, and in the course of APT activities outside of conferences.

APT members are expected to follow the norms of professional respect that are necessary to promote the conditions for free academic interchange. 

If you witness conduct directed towards a meeting participant, be proactive in helping to stop that conduct or limit its effect. 

APT members are expected to alert conference security personnel or law enforcement if they see a situation in which someone might be in physical danger.

3. Unacceptable Behavior

     

Harassment consists of a single intense and severe act, or multiple persistent or pervasive acts, which are demeaning, abusive, offensive, or create a hostile professional or workplace environment. 

Harassment may include:

• persistent and unwelcome solicitation of emotional or physical intimacy

• persistent and unwelcome solicitation of emotional or physical intimacy accompanied by real or implied threat of professional harm

• verbal or non-verbal conduct that is sexual in nature, thereby creating what reasonably may be perceived as a hostile or intimidating environment

• circulation of written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility toward an individual or group

• epithets, slurs, or negative stereotyping based on group identity

• intimidating, harassing, abusive, derogatory or demeaning speech or actions by any participant in an APT meeting and/or at any related event.

• prejudicial actions or comments related to actual or perceived gender, gender identity or expression, sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion or religious belief, age, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, disabilities, socioeconomic status, or any other reason not related to scholarly merit that coerce others, foment broad hostility, or otherwise undermine professional equity or the principles of free academic exchange.

• deliberate intimidation, stalking or following

• harassing photography or recording

• sustained disruption of talks or other events

• physical assault (including unwelcome touch or groping)

• real or implied threat of physical harm

4. Addressing Grievances: 

APT is not a law-adjudicating body. Nevertheless, there are processes in place to support members in getting their grievances reported and addressed when unwanted behaviors occur in the context of APT-sponsored events and activities. 

 

Complaints about unacceptable behavior at an APT conference or other APT-organized activity should follow the “Procedures for Violations of APT’s Anti-Harassment Policy.”  

In addition to the Governance Committee, two APT organs play important roles in the anti-harassment policy: 

Ombuds

Two APT Ombuds will be recruited by the Governance Committee from among APT’s membership. The Governance Committee will ensure that these individuals receive adequate training to serve in this role. The Ombuds will be appointed for alternating, renewable two-year terms.  One ombudsperson will identify as a woman, the other as either a man or non-binary. 

Anti-harassment Panel

A standing 3-person Anti-harassment Panel will be appointed by the Governance Committee to renewable two-year terms. One member will be designated chair of the Panel. Members of the Panel will be trained in the APT anti-harassment policy. Members of the Panel are fully insured against all legal liability under APT’s insurance.

5. Procedures for Addressing Alleged Violations of APT’s Anti-Harassment Policy

 

APT’s procedures for addressing alleged violations of the anti-harassment policy apply to all APT members and other participants in APT conferences, workshops, committees, and other events. Members and participants may pursue a complaint of harassment regarding an incident that has occurred.  APT has multiple channels through which you can obtain information or pursue a formal complaint of harassment.

1. Pursuit of Information: Ombuds

What is an Ombuds? The Ombuds is available for confidential consultation and advising about reporting harassment. The ombuds can provide valuable guidance and resources for understanding what constitutes harassment. They can also provide information on, and help explain, options for reporting harassment to APT and for pursuing such a complaint. The Ombuds cannot provide legal advice but can offer support and guidance, even if you elect to pursue no complaint procedures or reporting whatsoever. 

1. Filing a Complaint

If you want to report a violation of APT’s anti-harassment Policy, there are two primary pathways for doing so: (1) directly contacting a representative of the Anti-Harassment Panel; (2) submitting a complaint through APT’s confidential anti-harassment reporting form, available on APT’s website. In both cases, complainants will be asked if they would like the complaint to result in mediation and/or investigation, or if they’d instead prefer to simply file the complaint as a notice of concern without requesting further action. Complaints are saved securely and compiled into cases, which are made available to APT co-presidents and the Anti-harassment Panel. 

1. Directly Contacting the Anti-Harassment Panel
   The most direct way to file a complaint is by going straight to the chair or another member of the Anti-Harassment Panel. They will document the relevant information and enter it into APT’s anti-harassment reporting process. Upon receiving such information, the Anti-Harassment Panel will bear responsibility for initiating investigations and/or mediation, if such are requested and deemed appropriate.
   
   

2. Confidential Anti-Harassment Reporting Form
   A second way to file a complaint is through the confidential anti-harassment reporting form available on APT’s website. <<insert hyperlink>> The form gives complainants the option of submitting their complaint anonymously or with identifying information included. Requests for mediation will require identifying information. The form is monitored by the Anti-Harassment Panel. Upon receiving complaint information, the Panel will bear responsibility for initiating investigations and/or mediation, if such are requested and deemed appropriate. 

1.  Pursuing Action

Once an incident is reported, there are three principal options for pursuing action within APT’s anti-harassment policy.

Option 1: Notice of Concern

A complainant who does not want to pursue Mediation or Investigation as described below may report a concern that a person engaged in conduct that violated Anti-Harassment Policy.  If the Anti-Harassment Panel agrees that the alleged conduct would, if true, be a violation of the Policy, they will share that concern with the person who allegedly engaged in the conduct, who may submit a response. Typically, the information shared will not identify the complainant, but rather will describe the behavior alleged to have occurred. The Anti-Harassment Panel and APT will keep a confidential record of the event.  The Anti-Harassment Panel reserves the right to move forward with an Investigation where the circumstances lead the Panel to conclude that it would be in the best interest of APT to do so.

Option 2: Mediation

A complainant may pursue mediation.  The Anti-Harassment Panel will examine the case and search for a solution agreeable to both parties. (Note: due to the nature of such negotiations, the identity of the complainant will be disclosed to the person alleged to have violated the policy.)

Mediation Procedures

1. A formal complaint and request for mediation is filed through one of the pathways described above.
   
   

2. A member of the Anti-Harassment Panel (or a mediator selected by the Panel) will contact both parties to facilitate mutual understanding and a mutually agreed resolution. 

3. If a mutually agreed resolution cannot be reached in mediation, the complainant may still request an investigation.

Option 3: Investigation

A complainant may pursue a formal investigation. Such an investigation would be conducted by the Anti-Harassment Panel. If a violation is found to have occurred, APT’s Governance Committee is authorized to apply sanctions, as deemed appropriate.  (Note: due to the nature of the investigation, the identity of the complainant may be disclosed to the person alleged to have violated the policy). 

Investigation Procedures

1. A formal complaint and request for investigation is filed through one of the pathways described above.

2. All fact-finding will be conducted by the Anti-Harassment Panel, which will charge an individual to lead the investigation.

   1. The complainant will be asked to provide a written statement which should include as much identifying information as possible, the approximate time/date of the behavior, the location and circumstances surrounding the incident, and any other people that may have been involved in or witnessed the incident.
      
      

   2. The designated investigator shall inform the individual whose conduct is in question. A written statement of the complaint shall be made available to both parties.
      
      

   3. The individual whose conduct is in question will also be asked to provide a written statement providing their account of the activities in the complaint.
      
      

   4. The investigator and the Anti-Harassment Panel may ask to meet with the complainant and/or the individual in question, solicit evidence and statements from identified witnesses, or consult with others with direct knowledge of the event in question.
      
      

   5. The investigator will prepare a report summarizing the investigation for the Anti-harassment Panel.
      
      

   6. The Anti-harassment Panel will evaluate the case,  make a determination as to whether or not a violation has occurred, and issue a recommendation for further action.  The Chair of the Panel will communicate this in writing to APT’s co-Presidents. The final decision on sanctions will require approval of the Governance Committee.
      
      

   7. When a determination has been reached and before the parties have been notified, the co-presidents of APT and the Chair of the Anti-Harassment Panel shall meet to consider what steps can be taken, given the particulars of the case, to protect the complainant from retaliatory action by those named in the complaint. A written summary of the decision and/or recommended action will be provided to all parties upon completion of the process.
      
      

IV. Timeliness

When mediation or investigation is pursued, it is the responsibility of the Anti-harassment Panel to provide both parties with a clear and updated time frame for how the case will proceed and when outcomes can be expected. 

V. Scope of potential outcomes

The following sanctions may be applied individually or in combination, with the length of time to be determined by the Governance Committee as part of the sanction itself.

• Warning the harasser to cease their behavior (written letter)

• Suspension of the harasser from the ongoing APT Conference (if incident occurred during a meeting that is ongoing) 

• Barring the harasser from assuming any future governance positions within APT

• Barring the harasser from future APT conferences and workshops 

• Revoking the harasser’s APT membership

VI. Notification of parties

• Negative/Inconclusive Finding: In the event that the investigation proves inconclusive or negative, or if the Anti-harassment Panel is not unanimous in its determination that policy has been violated, the Chair of the Panel will convey this to the APT co-presidents, who will inform both parties in writing.
  
  

• Finding of Harassment: In the event that the investigation results in a determination that harassment has occurred, one of APT’s co-Presidents will inform both parties of the findings and sanctions in writing.

VII. Appeal

Should either party wish to appeal a decision within 30 days after a decision is made, they may make an appeal to the APT Co-Presidents. Grounds for appeal include a claim of procedural error, substantive new evidence, evidence of the use of impermissible criteria, or evidence of bias in the treatment of the fact-finding and decision process.  The Co-Presidents will make a recommendation to the Governance Committee. If approved by the Governance Committee, a final unappealable decision will be issued at this time.

6. Avoiding Retaliation

As a general principle, APT will make every effort to protect complainants from retaliation.

7. Confidentiality 

At all stages, APT will maintain confidentiality to the extent possible.

 

Approved by the Governance Committee in 2023.