Empowerment in Response to Abuse of Power

An open, safe, and inclusive research environment provides the foundation for research integrity (RI) in everyday practice. In a broader context, this also means recognizing fairness, equality, and diversity as essential components of RI that must be woven into organizational systems. Particularly in academic and research environments with a strong hierarchical structure, abuse of power presents an underlying problem that organizations often fail to acknowledge. Even fewer organizations implement measures to raise awareness about and prevent abuse of power, even though such measures are the only means of effectively protecting victims of such abuse when concrete cases emerge. Empowerment is the antidote to abuse of power. Empowerment strengthens those affected, helping them to regain their voice and raise it against such abuse, to speak openly about the facts and stand up for the truth. It is also about joining forces with others, creating solidarity so that no one can be silently stripped of their dignity. We will explore ways to empower, particularly those most vulnerable in the research environment, encouraging the transformation of power from a tool of domination into a catalyst for individual and collective growth that enables science, and everyone, to thrive.