Eke Bont

Spend a few moments getting to know Eke Bont, PhD Candidate at Royal Holloway, University of London researching moral injury.

What do you currently do?

I am a third year PhD candidate researching moral injury in Republican ex-prisoners from the Northern Ireland conflict.  My PhD research involves interviews with Republican ex-prisoners, as well as with individuals who have worked with this population (e.g., priests, counsellors, community workers, etc.). Other than investigating whether moral injury was experienced in this population, it also looks at other psychological effects of involvement in the conflict, and at moral beliefs related to the use of Republican violence.  I’ve also recently joined the Ministry of Justice as a social researcher.

How would you explain that in ten words or fewer?

Conducting interviews to explore moral injury in Republican ex-prisoners.

Tell us about a typical working day.

In terms of being a PhD researcher, it really varies on the stage of the thesis – but most recently it involved analysing my interview transcripts, and then discussing the results in relation to existing literature on the topics.  After that, it’s mostly editing.  I’m hoping to share my findings more in the coming months in the form of more publications and presentations, as well as getting insights from my participants on my work once I send the thesis and/or publications to them. But as I have recently submitted my thesis, I’m mostly focusing on the new job for now.

How and why did you end up working in trauma?

My undergraduate degree was in psychology,  and I was initially interested in childhood trauma.  After volunteering with child visitors in a prison, I realised I was more interested in the prisoners themselves.  Eventually this interest narrowed into a curiosity in how perpetration of violence could be traumatic.  This led me to do a masters in War & Psychiatry at King’s College London, during which I realised there was still a gap in research on how involvement in non-state political violence affects its actors.  Looking at moral injury in Republican ex-prisoners from the Northern Ireland conflict seemed like a perfect way to contribute to addressing that gap, as well as it helping expand the concept and understanding of moral injury to a novel population.

What are you currently working on?

Currently I’m focusing on the new job as a social researcher in the civil service and preparing for my viva.  But after the viva I’m planning on publishing my PhD findings as a number of journal articles.

Where can we find your most recent publication or work?

Bont, E. (2020). Moral Injury in Provisional IRA Members: Preliminary Evidence of Moral Beliefs Injuring, Protecting & Disillusioning. Terrorism And Political Violence, 1-23.    doi: 10.1080/09546553.2020.1833861

What excites you most about the field of traumatology?

In terms of traumatology, it’s the increase in work on moral injury in non-traditional state military population (e.g., healthcare staff treating Covid-19 patients), as well as debates on moral injury’s conceptualisation.  Terrorism studies/non-state political violence research is my other sphere of interest and there it’s the increase in use of primary sources in recent years.

Outside work, what’s your secret passion?

Feeding the squirrels in my garden (sorry, neighbours!)

What are you currently reading?

Shuggie Bain, by Douglas Stuart

Who, or whose work, do you particularly admire?

Prof. John Horgan for his innovative work on the psychology of terrorism, which is also accessible and engaging for researchers new to the topic.  Dr. Tine Molendijk for her work that warns against the pathology-focused view of moral injury and argues for capturing its complex moral dimension.

If you didn’t do what you do, what would you have done?

I probably would have wanted to work in prisons as a forensic or clinical psychologist.  Otherwise, I would have studied law.

Where would we typically find you at 3pm on a Saturday?

Going for a walk in Epping Forest with my partner, spending time with friends, or reading and hanging out with my cat.

Where would you rather be right now?

Either Belfast or Port Logan in Scotland

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