At the same time as universities, navigating according to neoliberal goals, project a public image as corporate and agile top-tier institutions with top researchers, behind the façade, academic life is overshadowed by a narrative of misery. This study challenges the dominant narrative of academic work, addressing the unexplored terrain between excellence and misery. The existing portrayal fails to offer sustainable horizons, risking the meaningfulness of academic work and the continuity of science. By examining the discourse on ordinariness and contentment, the study fills the research gap. The first phase sheds light on experiences tied to these aspects in academic work through collaborative autoethnography. The autoethnographic phase is followed by workshops organized for researchers. Additionally, data is collected through a writing call and interviews targeting researchers. The primary context for the study is Finland, but some aspects of data collection extend beyond the country.

2024

2028