No Coward Soul is Mine: An introduction to #MeToo in Academia

Usha Natarajan, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, The University of the West Indies; Honorary Researcher, SALISES, The University of the West Indies

Join us for this seminar presented by the CrimSL Research Cluster for the Study of Racism and Inequality on March 27, 2026. Usha Natarajan will present " No Coward Soul is Mine: An introduction to #MeToo in Academia (forthcoming 2026, University Press of Colorado) with16 chapters and 23 authors from all continents "

This is a free event, however, registration is required.

Refreshments will be available from 4:00 in the CrimSL Library.

The #MeToo movement exposed cultures of sexual harassment in many industries and academia merits sustained attention. Increasingly, people are speaking out about gender-based violence in academia. While individual circumstances are unique, there are some unmistakable patterns regarding the types of privilege perpetrators exercise, the ways in which society displaces shame and guilt onto survivors, institutional complicity and cover ups, as well as widespread enabling and normalizing of gender-based violence. Cultures of complicity and hypocrisy can be changed. This edited collection unites people from all over the world and of different generations of academia, providing a space for them to find their voice and share their wisdom, and thereby allowing for a better understanding of patterns of abuse and collusion in academic life. Together, we formulate effective strategies and mobilize together tactically for change. Crucially, by giving voice to diverse experiences, those suffering in similar situations know that they are not alone and can not only survive but thrive.

(PhD, MA, LLB, BA) is Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law and SALISES Honorary Fellow at the University of the West Indies. Dr Natarajan was tenured at the American University in Cairo as Associate Professor of International Law and Associate Director of the Center for Migration and Refugee Studies from 2010 to 2020. She has held Visiting Professorships and Fellowships at the Universities of British Columbia, Columbia, Dalhousie, McGill, Melbourne, Yale, York, and the Geneva Graduate Institute. Prior to academia, she worked with the United Nations in Asia and the Pacific. Dr Natarajan's research is interdisciplinary, utilizing postcolonial and Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) to provide an interrelated understanding of development, environment, migration and conflict. With over 60 publications, Natarajan’s research is recognized by global awards and grants, and she serves on the board of several international law institutions and publications.

Photography, audio and video recording may occur throughout this event. Therefore, by attending, you hereby authorize the University of Toronto to take your photograph, video and/or record your voice and grant the university all rights to these sounds, still or moving images in any medium for educational, promotional, marketing, advertising or other such purposes that support the mission of the university. If you do not consent to this, please speak with a university representative upon your arrival.

By transit: The closest subway station is Queen's Park.

By car: There is no on-site parking available. There is a drop-off area at the main entrance. U of T hosts several parking lots on campus.

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