An academic ejected from a literary conference in Glasgow for “harassing” a young woman is a victim of overzealous efforts to make an example of a “much-loved figure”, fellow scholars have claimed.
Fritz Senn, 96, the director of the Zurich James Joyce Foundation was asked to leave a Glasgow symposium in honour of the Irish author after allegations that he had made a student volunteer feel unsafe.
It is alleged that Senn photographed the woman without her consent, gave unwanted gifts, made inappropriate comments and solicited her contact details.
However more than 200 academics have signed an open letter which suggests the disciplinary process that took place after last month’s International James Joyce Symposium at the University of Glasgow was “deeply flawed”.
The document claims that Senn was expelled after offering the woman chocolate and unwanted compliments, taking her photograph in a crowded room and asking for her email address.
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“Senn has been at the fulcrum of the Joyce world for decades, tirelessly shaping and enriching it with his tremendous knowledge of Joyce’s works, his generosity of time and energy, his wisdom, humour and friendship,” the letter said.
“He has, by a highly divisive turn of events, become the first victim of these excessive and immoderate accusations.
“His disciplinary hearing was improvised, expedited and procedurally deeply flawed. The sanction was grossly disproportionate — an attempt to make an example of a central and much-loved figure of the Joyce world.”
It added: “Without wishing to downplay the concerns which led to this situation the conduct of those acting in the name of ‘safety’ calls for urgent reconsideration.
“It is time for the community to come together again around its core purpose: the academic study and collegiate celebration of one of the greatest, life-affirming authors of all time.”
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In June Laura Gibbs, a promising young scholar, announced that she was leaving the world of Joyce studies immediately after completing her doctorate. The field had become “uninhabitable” for her “due to the inherent abuses of power which permeate the conference spaces and summer schools”, she claimed.
Gibbs told The Irish Times that her breaking point was the 2022 Dublin Joyce symposium “when I spent most of my time telling younger scholars to watch out for people”.
In the recent situation concerning a different student, Senn said he spoke to the young woman at the centre of the complaint at the conference on various occasions and that he asked for her email address.
He insisted 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,” he said.
“If they were unsettled or offended by my actions, I sincerely regret this. I have learnt my lesson. Something like this will not happen again.”
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The letter, whose signatories included Scarlett Baron, associate professor at University College London and Professor Martin Middeke, chair of English literature at the University of Augsburg, Germany, suggested Senn’s expulsion was the culmination of campaign organised by a “small number of academics”.
“This campaign, though originally well-intentioned, has riven apart what had traditionally been an exceptionally welcoming, convivial and nurturing international community,” it said.
“A section of the Joyce world has generated rumours that have resulted in the vilification of fellow Joyceans for offences always nebulously whispered about, but never openly declared.”
Matthew Creasy, the organiser of the event in Glasgow, said: “If there are any complaints [about the disciplinary process], appropriate measures will be taken.”
