Professional ostracism in science
Professional ostracism in science is the informal but coordinated exclusion of researchers holding or investigating non-consensus hypotheses — from publication, conference participation, collaborative grants, student supervision, and employment. It is a peer-review-adjacent mechanism of suppression of inquiry.
Mechanisms
- Blacklisting from conferences and journals
- Withdrawal of grant eligibility
- Denial of tenure or graduate-student appointments
- Social ostracism within the profession
- Targeted media discrediting (see media portrayal of conspiracy investigators)
Documented and alleged cases
Suppressed exotic physics researchers including Halton Arp (redshift), Paul LaViolette (electrogravitics), Rupert Sheldrake (consciousness), and John Mack (abduction research) have all described career-ostracism dynamics.