Anja Franz examines how doctoral projects are abandoned and which critical events play a role in this process. With the interdisciplinary phenomenon of a gradual withdrawal from the academic field up to the symbolic death, the author analyzes the abandonment of doctoral projects both theoretically and empirically throughout their course. The analysis shows that these abandonments are the result of a prolonged and burdensome withdrawal process for those affected, characterized by various decisions, adjustments, and considerations. This process progresses from irritation to acute stagnation of the work, limited and sometimes later complete resumption of the project, to chronic stagnation and the manifestation of the decision to abandon.