ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the often-ignored group of research students in academia and their experiences of bullying and intimidation. The results of an exploratory research project are presented in the chapter. The main aim of this study was to determine whether or not bullying was evident among this group of students from supervisors and others in their respective departments. Olweus (1993) argues that bullying encompasses three core elements: an intent to harm or upset another student; the harmful behaviour is done repeatedly and over time; and the relationship between bully/bullies and victim/victims is characterized by an imbalance in power. It is the third element that is focuses in the chapter. The study demonstrates that the unequal balance of power between research students and their supervisors, as well as others in the department, can and has led to bullying-type behaviour and thus satisfies the first two elements in the given definition.
