In the Courage Brief we share new scientific research and analysis along with news about our educational work and events.
Most Recent Courage Brief
April 2025
Dear Friends of Courage,
One of several recent events that have been discussed in terms of institutional courage is Harvard’s bold response to governmental demands that threaten the core values of higher education. And just this week, the Center for Institutional Courage has joined over 400 charitable organizations by signing a Public Statement organized by the Council on Foundations that is fundamentally about responding to governmental institutional betrayal with institutional courage.
Although drafted before Harvard’s recent actions or the Council on Foundations statement was released, both of the articles in this issue of the Courage Brief are relevant to understanding the relevance of institutional courage to our current moment. These insightful articles also highlight the expanding reach and nuanced practice of institutional courage.
The first piece, by Courage Education Advisor Dr. Kathryn Becker-Blease, "Institutional Courage Depends on Intelligent Compliance and Non-Compliance," thoughtfully examines the balance institutions must strike between adhering to civil rights laws and knowing when principled non-compliance may lead to greater justice. Drawing insightful parallels from the medical field, this article explores how institutions, much like wise physicians, can empower their members to make informed and courageous decisions. It provides inspiring examples of those who chose paths of thoughtful compliance and intentional non-compliance in the face of threats to integrity and freedom.
Our second article, by Courage Research Associate Aubrie Patterson, “Expanding Frontiers” offers an update on our Research Tracking Database, illustrating the remarkable growth of scholarship focused on institutional betrayal and courage across diverse sectors. Patterson highlights recent interdisciplinary contributions, such as studies on racial discrimination in social work and the intersectional institutional betrayal experienced by women of color survivors of campus sexual violence. Her piece underscores the expanding awareness and deepening scholarship that continue to invigorate and inform our collective efforts.
Selected additional articles by and about members of our team are listed at the end of this issue of the Courage Brief.
We encourage you to explore these powerful insights and to reflect on how you, too, might practice institutional courage in your own spheres of influence. As always, thank you for your continued commitment and support.
Prior Courage Briefs
October 2024: Reconsidering Religious Trauma: The Critical Need for Betrayal‑Related Research in Religious Communities; What Do Leaders Need to Do the Right Thing?; Zero Tolerance Code of Conduct (EU) Requires Institutional Courage; Fireside Chat Now Available
April 2024: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; What Do Leaders Need to Do the Right Thing?; Reconsidering Religious Trauma: The Critical Need for Betrayal-Related Research in Religious Communities
October 2023: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; The Cultural Betrayal of Black Women & Girls: Dreamstorming from Sexual Abuse to Liberatio; Institutional Betrayal and Courage: Unearthing Trends, Gaps, and Opportunities in Research
July 2023: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; Institutional Courage Through Bilding Community: Steps Forward after Institutional Betrayal at the University of Michigan; DARVO and Systemic Oppression
April 2023: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; DARVO and the Dark Triad; Institutional Betrayal in the Most Innocent of Places
February 2023: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; New Research; Institutional Courage Before We Had the Term Sexual Harassment.
November 2022: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; Preventing Unwanted Sexual Attention at Work.
September 2022: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spotlight article on using institutional courage to fight obstetric gaslighting.
July 2022: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spolight article where Courage Board Member and Education Advisory Committee Chair Ross CHeit interview Sofia Boracci on archiving activism and its relevance to institutional courage.
May 2022: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spotlight article where Courage Senior Advisor Dr. Anne DePrince discusses how to move from unawareness to action regarding violence against women; and recent works by and about members of the Courage Team.
March 2022: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spotlight article where Courage Board Director and Treasurer Dr. Caroline Simard considers "what if" institutions acted with courage; and recent works by and about members of the Courage Team.
January 2022: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spotlight article where newly elected Courage Board Secretary Lisa Howe Verhovek is interviewed by Courage Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Sarah Harsey; and recent works by and about members of the Courage Team.
November 2021: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spotlight article by Courage Education Advisor Dr. Kathryn Becker-Blease about an institution's ongoing commitment to institutional courage; and recent works by and about members of the Courage Team.
September 2021: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spotlight article by Courage Affiliated Educator Dr. Kathryn Quina about incarcerated women and the relevance of institutional betrayal and institutional courage; and recent works by and about members of the Courage Team.
July 2021: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spotlight article by Courage Research Associate Melissa Barnes describing her theory on Collective Ongoing Betrayal Trauma; and recent works by and about members of the Courage Team.
May 2021: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spotlight article where Courage Education Advisor Kim Scott is interviewed by Board Secretary Dr. Lisa Schievelbein about institutional courage in the workplace; and recent works by and about members of the Courage Team.
March 2021: Opening letter by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spotlight article on community engagement and institutional courage by Courage Senior Advisor Dr. Anne DePrince; and recent works by and about members of the Courage Team.
January 2021: Opening letter and update on Courage by President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spotlight article on institutional courage, blocking bias, and issues of DEI by Courage Senior Advisor Lori Nishiura Mackenzie; and scientific and media articles by and about members of the Courage Team.
November 2020: Opening letter by Courage President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spotlight article on institutional betrayal and dignity by Courage Affiliated Educator Dr. Michael Salter; and articles and other works by members of the Courage Team.
September 2020: Discussion of our new website content by Courage President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spotlight article on institutional betrayal in high school by Courage Research Associates Monika Lind and Alexis Adams-Clark; scientific and media articles by and about members of the Courage Team.
July 2020: Commentary by Courage President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd on institutional courage and betrayal related to current events in the United States; a spotlight article on new DARVO research; scientific and media articles featuring members of the Courage Team.
June 2020: Introduction to The Courage Brief by Courage President and Founder Dr. Jennifer Freyd; a spotlight article on Board Director and Research Advisory Committee Chair Dr. Jennifer Gómez; scientific and media articles featuring members of the Courage Team.