In this book, sociologist Stefan Svallfors discusses the conditions of scientific research. He emphasizes the deeply emotional and social features of the work and shows how little this is taken into account when research is organised and funded. The book is both a critical indictment of the research policy in Sweden and a personally held attempt to describe the base on which human creativity and knowledge rests. The book addresses everyone who is reflecting upon the conditions of creative work, especially those who try to generate new knowledge or provide conditions for creative activities ¿ whether as a researcher, mentor or politician.