.
Initial allegations In April 2023, he was accused of a series of cases of
sexual, moral and labour harassment in a publication by three former researchers from CES. The researchers, Lieselotte Viaene, who is Belgian; Catarina Laranjeiro, who is Portuguese; and Miye Nadya Tom, who is an enrolled member of the Native American Walker River Paiute Tribe and third-generation Russian-American, did not name the "Star Professor" at the center of their publication, but it was through this publication—a chapter in an edited volume titled “Sexual Misconduct in Academia: Informing an Ethics of Care in the University”—that the allegations began to be publicly associated with Boaventura de Sousa Santos. In their chapter, “The walls spoke when no one else would",” the three researchers point out three central figures: the “Star Professor”, the “Apprentice” and the “Watchwoman”. According to the female researchers’ curricula, all three worked for several years as researchers at CES in
Coimbra. In the article, Boaventura de Sousa Santos is given the code name “Star Professor” and the professor and co-coordinator of a doctoral program, Bruno Sena Martins, is called the “Apprentice”. Maria Paula Meneses, also a senior researcher and professor at CES, is referred to as the Watchwoman. Anonymous graffiti that appeared on the walls of CES in 2018 inspired the title of the three former researchers’ chapter. The complainants describe a
modus operandi in which the Star Professor would touch a knee of a female researcher under his supervision, asking her to deepen their mutual relationship in exchange of academic support. It would also allude to group dinners in Coimbra restaurants, and parties in private houses where the stalkers would harass their subordinates. Contacted by
Diário de Notícias, Boaventura de Sousa Santos recognized himself in the description of the former students, but denied all the accusations of misconduct and claimed he is being a
cancel culture victim. According to the academic, he never has met two of the co-authors, Catarina Laranjeiro and Miye Nadya Tom. Sousa Santos said he recognized the main author, Lieselotte Viaene (Belgian anthropologist with a PhD in law from
Ghent University in 2011, Professor at the Department of Social Sciences of the
University Carlos III de Madrid, and holder of a prestigious
ERC Grant). He states he met her twice, first as her Marie Curie Fellowship supervisor, and another "to solve the problems of incorrect and undisciplined behavior". He claims CES opened a disciplinary process and denied being host institution of her ERC Grant application.
Further accusations After those declarations became public, the Brazilian congresswoman, and member of the
Municipal Chamber of Belo Horizonte,
Bella Gonçalves, a politician of Brazil's
Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL), former student at the research centre CES in Coimbra, announced she had been sexually assaulted by Boaventura de Sousa Santos in the exact same way described in the article. She told the newspaper that, at the time, she reported the case to the CES management, who would have suggested she changed her advisor, arguing the professor was untouchable. She says that because of what happened, she decided to return to Brazil and finish her doctorate degree at a local university. After returning to Brazil, the former student says, she received an email from Boaventura de Sousa Santos. In it, the professor is said to have apologised for his behaviour, excusing himself by saying that he had fallen in love with her. at the 3rd
Encuentro Latinoamericano de Feminismos ELLA
, a
Latin American
feminist meeting that took place in La Plata, Argentina, in December 2018. The Argentinean indigenous
left-wing activist
Moira Ivana Millán had already told an Argentinean radio program about an episode of harassment to which she was subjected in Coimbra, Portugal, in 2010, by sociologist Boaventura de Sousa Santos, accusing him of moral and sexual harassment. Boaventura de Sousa Santos rejected Millán’s accusations, publishing an email exchange with Moira Millán—both before and after her visit to CES—that demonstrated she was not telling the truth. He called on Millán to issue a public apology, but she stood by her claims and threatened to take legal action against him
. Reactions Right after the publication of the article as well as the statements of Bella Gonzalvez and Moira Millan, Boaventura de Sousa Santos decided to suspend all his activities at CES and made himself available to any investigation, urging for an independent commission to be created to clarify the facts. In June 2023, Sousa Santos wrote an opinion piece in which he shows some self-criticism regarding the events described in the accusations, arguing he belongs to a generation with a sexist culture, although he continues to reject the allegations, highlighting his fight for equality. Some academics have publicly supported de Sousa Santos, criticizing the initial article methodologically, or as a form of
lawfare. Some journalists have also expressed their support. Although the Ombusdman of the institution argues she had not received any complaints of harassment within the institution in the two years she has been in those functions, in September 2023, CES created an independent commission to produce a formal report with conclusions. The
Latin American Council of Social Sciences suspended all activities with the researcher. The Spanish newspaper
Publico, where Sousa Santos had a regular column, has suspended their ongoing collaboration. In July 2023, the publisher Routledge withdrew the book "Sexual Misconduct in Academia" from publication. This book included the initial article. In September 2023,
Taylor & Francis, owner of Routledge, made a statement arguing they had received "legal threats from various parties" and thus decided for the withdrawal. As a reaction, beyond the social media uproar, an open letter to Routledge received the support of 1,200 academics, asking the publisher to "state why they have removed" the book, and to "reinstate [it]" and "stand up to legal threats". In September 2023, the chapter was deleted by Routledge, which had all unsold books withdrawn.
Report by the Independent Commission On 13 March 2024, the 114-page report by the Independent Commission of the Centre for Social Studies at the University of Coimbra confirmed the existence of evidence of
abuse of power and
sexual harassment at CES. However, it did not make formal accusations about Boaventura de Sousa Santos, who expressed both relief and concern about the report. '''' In addition to this report, the CES apologised "to people who consider themselves victims of harassing or abusive behaviour" and promised to take action and provide reparations. The CES claimed it would hand the evidence to the public prosecutor office to consider further legal actions. The report speaks of perpetrators systematic blurring of professional and private life, situations of non-consensual touching, encouraging alcohol drinking, and offers of academic benefits in exchange of sexual favours. on top of her legal action against Santos. A year after the first accusations of sexual harassment, and as soon as the report by the independent commission was made public, Boaventura de Sousa Santos was removed from his position as a judge at the International
Rights of Nature Tribunal. == Personal life ==