Surviving Academia – Zine

On 30 March 2023, Sophia organised the Junior Network event Surviving Academia: Conversations on our wellbeing. The event, directed towards early career (Master & PhD level) researchers, explored the impact that academic culture can have on the (mental) well-being of young scholars and reflected on ways to cope within this high-pressure, competitive environment.

In a brave space, we reflected on new ways of relating to ourselves and each other within the broader structures of academia. How can we be more present, connected and embodied while facing academic expectations? In what ways can we take care of ourselves and others? And what changes could we make in our own personal environments in order to create a space in which we can thrive? Also, more broadly: How can we find ways to collectively address and transform toxic structures within academia? What alternatives might there be to the dominant, neoliberal model of knowledge production and distribution?

Together with the participants, we created this zine as a creative visualisation of the topics that were discussed. 

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