Louise Benson James
Faculty of Arts and Philosophy – Research Portal
Isabelle Devos
Faculty of Arts and Philosophy – Research Portal
Dimitra Didangelou
From Catharsis to Metousiosis: Transforming the Narrative of Loss into Literature
The research explores the transformative potential of autobiographical writing in the context of mourning, focusing on texts written after the loss of a loved one. Central to the study is the concept of metousiosis, a Greek term referring to a change in inner essence. While catharsis, often associated with emotional release, can be an outcome of writing, metousiosis points to a deeper, more lasting transformation.
Through writing and narrative, pain is not only expressed but reshaped into something meaningful. Writing, in this context, becomes a vessel for reordering chaos into structure, a story with a beginning, middle and end that reframes and gives form to the trauma of loss.
The study will analyze selected literary works by authors such as Joan Didion and Roland Barthes, whose texts offer rich insights into how grief can be processed and transformed on the page.
The second part of the research involves interviews with contemporary authors who have written during or after bereavement. The aim is to understand how writing helped them metabolize their grief and to explore mechanisms behind this process.
Zoë Ghyselinck
Faculty of Arts and Philosophy – Research Portal
Carine Jacobs
Faculty of Arts and Philosophy – Research Portal
Teodoro Katinis
Faculty of Arts and Philosophy – Research Portal
Mieke Matthyssen
Faculty of Arts and Philosophy – Research Portal
Andreas Niehaus
Faculty of Arts and Philosophy – Research Portal
Jürgen Pieters
Faculty of Arts and Philosophy – Research Portal
Christel Stalpaert
Faculty of Arts and Philosophy – Research Portal
Liselotte Van der Gucht
Faculty of Arts and Philosophy – Research Portal
Sigrid Wallaert
Faculty of Arts and Philosophy – Research Portal
Kenneth Chambaere
Tessa Kerre
Fleur Helewaut
UGent Research Explorer
Marjolein Matthys
Piet Bracke
Melissa Ceuterick
Alexis Dewaele
Camille Joanisse
Camille Joanisse is an interdisciplinary gerontology researcher. Combining her background in psychology, leisure studies and population health, she strives to understand what makes life meaningful for older adults and how can services and care be adapted to contribute to human flourishing in later life.
Her research interests are spread across three main areas:
1) meaningful experiences in the context of impairment and marginalization,
2) socio-environmental transformations and diversity in aging, and
3) leisure participation, occupation, and well-being in later life.
Through qualitative and arts-based methodologies, Camille explores the lived experiences of people, ensuring that their stories, perspectives, and voices are shared and amplified. Camille is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at Ghent University. She fosters several enriching collaborations in both Belgium and Canada, her home country. She obtained her Ph.D. from the School of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa.
Bas Dikmans
