By An Ansoms (UCLouvain)

In this moving personal memoir, a social scientist who studies resource conflicts in the Great Lakes Region of Africa shares her own story. The author discusses the ethical and emotional struggles of her work, and shows how hearing stories of crises and conflict triggered her own battle with post-traumatic stress. She also reflects on her position and privilege as a white, middle-class, educated woman working to bridge two continents. This book talks about the often-hidden challenges of academic life, where the push for productivity often reinforces unequal power relations and overshadows researchers' well-being. The story invites readers to see the toll that gathering knowledge can take and celebrates the profound impact of embracing vulnerability and human connection in the world of science.