UNDERSTANDING ACADEMIC BULLYING: A PHENOMENOLOGY STUDY OF EVERYDAY LIFE EXPERIENCES OF ACADEMICS IN NIGERIAN TERTIARY INSTITUTION

Abstract

The study focused on the everyday life experiences of academic bully among academics in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Three research objectives were raised; to find out the causes of academic bullying among academics in tertiary institutions of learning in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria; to find out forms of academic bullying experienced by academics in tertiary institutions of learning in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria and to identify how information on academic bullying is shared among academics in tertiary institutions of learning in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Population for this study consisted of academics in Nigerian educational institutions. The study used a qualitative research methodology and phenomenology approach. Note taking was used as the method of data collection. Selection of eighteen academics who constituted the study sample was through snowball sampling technique. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Finding revealed that cause of academic bully in this study setting is ideology. The study found that forms of academic bully in this setting are verbal abuse and mocking. Findings further revealed that information on bullying is shared by academics through colleagues and family members. It concluded that academic has become a common occurrence left unattended to, overlooked and swept under the carpet. Academic bullying is gradually turning into a mafia. It recommended among others that the institution’s administration should establish a committee charged with the responsibility of monitoring, arresting and tackling the incidence of academic bullying among academics in the institutions.