Available From UC Press

Scholars and practitioners who witness violence and loss in human, animal, and ecological contexts are expected to have no emotional connection to the subjects they study. Yet is this possible? Following feminist traditions, Vulnerable Witness centers the researcher and challenges readers to reflect on how grieving is part of the research process and, by extension, is a political act. Through thirteen reflective essays the book theorizes the role of grief in the doing of research—from methodological choices, fieldwork and analysis, engagement with individuals, and places of study to the manner in which scholars write and talk about their subjects. Combining personal stories from early career scholars, advocates, and senior faculty, the book shares a breadth of emotional engagement at various career stages and explores the transformative possibilities that emerge from being enmeshed with one's own research. 

Kathryn Gillespie is a feminist geographer and critical animal studies scholar. Her work has been published in Gender, Place and Culture, Antipode, and Hypatia. She is the author of The Cow with Ear Tag #1389, and she coedited, with Patricia J. Lopez, Economies of Death.  Patricia J. Lopez is Assistant Professor of Geography at Dartmouth College. Her work has been published in Gender, Place and Culture, and Environment and Planning. She is the coeditor, with Kathryn Gillespie, of Economies of Death. 

"Furthers important discussions of affect and emotions by looking at grief politically and socially through highly readable and teachable contributions."—Pamela Moss, Professor of Human and Social Development, University of Victoria

"An important contribution to feminist scholarship, widely relevant across the social sciences and humanities."—Kye Askins, Reader in Urban Geography, University of Glasgow