Joyce scholar asked to leave Glasgow academic conference over inappropriate behaviour

One of the world’s foremost James Joyce scholars was formally asked to leave a prestigious academic conference last week after organisers upheld a complaint of sexual harassment against him.

Fritz Senn, a 96-year-old Swiss scholar and prolific author, was barred from the 29th International James Joyce Symposium in Glasgow, Scotland following allegations that he had harassed a young woman over the course of the event.

In January, President Michael D Higgins presented him with the presidential award for distinguished service to Ireland overseas.

The accusations have caused turmoil within international community of James Joyce scholars. Many have welcomed concrete action finally being taken against alleged inappropriate and misogynistic behaviour, which, according to interviews with several academics, is a big problem within Joyce studies.

There have been various accusations of widespread sexual harassment and other inappropriate behaviour by male Joyce scholars over the years.

“There are definitely a few individuals who are particularly egregious,” said Sam Slote, Professor in English at Trinity College Dublin, told The Irish Times before the Glasgow symposium.

“I think over the years a benchmark has been set that this type of behaviour is allowed, or at least not disallowed.”

The complaint against Dr Senn, who was listed as a speaker at the conference, alleged he made inappropriate comments towards the woman, gave her unwanted gifts, solicited her contact details and photographed her without consent. These actions had allegedly made her feel unsafe, it stated.

The conference safety team held a meeting and upheld the complaint before asking Dr Senn to leave and not return.

A brief anonymised account of the incident was read out at the International James Joyce Foundation AGM which took place at the close of the symposium on June 19.

One of the symposium’s organisers later emailed associates to confirm a complaint of “sexual harassment” against Dr Senn and stating that the matter will be referred to the University of Glasgow, which hosted the symposium, so it could offer support to the complainant.

In response to queries, a spokesman for the Symposium confirmed the conference safety team upheld a complaint of sexual harassment” and that “a delegate to the conference was asked to leave the venue and not return.”

Dr Senn told The Irish Times he spoke to the young woman at the conference “on various occasions” and that he asked for her email address.

He said he usually takes photographs at such events to chronicle them.

“I also took photos of the volunteer, without her explicit consent, not being aware at the time that the volunteer might perceive my behaviour as inappropriate. If they were unsettled or offended by my actions, I sincerely regret this,” he said.

“I have learned my lesson, something like this will not happen again.”