The Hidden Cost of Starting Over Abroad
How migration shapes identity. Key points What affects us now often shapes who we become later. In recent years, there has been a sharp rise in Africans legally migrating abroad for education, work, or to reunite with family. This wave is commonly known as the Japa syndrome. While social media is filled with images and […]
Why Some Identities Stay
Can success truly erase a difficult past? Adut Akech’s journey from refugee to supermodel reveals how a sense of identity and home is shaped by displacement and memory.
Break Free from the Past and Stay Committed to Your Goals: How to create lasting, positive change.
Key points Every new year brings a wave of resolutions, accompanied by countless posts offering tips and strategies to improve our lives. While these can be helpful, we often repeat past mistakes without fully understanding why—or how to overcome them. I have written that cognitive immobility is a stressful mental entrapment that leads to a […]
Trapped in War ZonesThe unseen wound that keeps soldiers haunted after returning home.
Soldiers who have served in distant wars may remain mentally stuck in those places long after they have returned home. Here’s what we can learn from this phenomenon.
The Emotional Pull of Places Can Keep Us Stuck Here’s how a New Yorker got trapped in Dakar, Senegal, ever since 1998.
Key points When Eve left New York to visit Dakar, Senegal, in December 1998, she had no idea the trip would change her life forever. It was meant to be a short holiday with her then-boyfriend to visit his hometown. There is a saying that travel is a form of education, but sometimes, that education […]
Cognitive Immobility: How to Break Free from Past Experiences – Tips and Remedies
Sources: Anita Jankovic / unsplash
Life Beyond the PhD: Reflections from Cumberland Lodge 2024
The ‘Life Beyond the PhD’ conference 2024, held at Cumberland Lodge from August 12th to 16th, brought together doctoral researchers from universities across the UK. The conference aimed to help students prepare for life after their studies. Located in the heart of Windsor Great Park, Cumberland Lodge is a historic building that has stood for […]
Uprooted Minds: the Emotional Tides of Migration
Awareness is key in addressing the emotional hurdles of migration. Uncover the importance of recognizing cognitive immobility and fostering a balanced and fulfilling transnational life. In one of my presentations on the paper about cognitive immobility last year, I met (virtually) a gentleman from India named Deep. During the presentation, he asked a few questions, […]
