Trauma – Stigma and Distinction
Social Ambivalences in the Face of Extreme Suffering
3rd International Trauma Research Net Conference
14 - 17 September 2006, St. Moritz, Switzerland
Call for Papers
The International Network for Interdisciplinary Research about the Impact of
Traumatic Experience on the Life of Individuals and Society (Trauma Research
Net) invites proposals for papers to be presented at its 3rd International
Conference entitled: "Trauma - Stigma and Distinction: Social Ambivalences
in the Face of Extreme Suffering," which will take place on 14 - 17
September 2006 in St. Moritz (Switzerland). Since 1995, the Hamburg
Institute for Social Research has provided the basis of an informal network
on trauma research that now reaches more than one thousand institutions and
individuals. The goal and purpose of the Trauma Research Net is to foster an
interdisciplinary discourse of those working in trauma research by linking
the institutions and individuals working practically or theoretically in the
relevant fields. Two previous conferences, organized by the Trauma Research
Net in 1998 and 2002, have provided important venues for formulating or
re-examining assumptions and questions that play a central role in this
highly diverse area of research.
We are especially interested in papers that combine various levels of
discourse on trauma in order to juxtapose or intertwine practical and
theoretical points of view, developing dialogues between and across
disciplines. Hence this call for papers is addressed both to professionals
working with trauma victims on a practical, therapeutic level and to those
researching, writing and teaching on trauma on a more theoretical level. We
also encourage joint presentations that discuss topics from a number of
disciplinary angles.
The conference on "Trauma - Stigma and Distinction: Social Ambivalences in
the Face of Extreme Suffering" aims to elucidate how the dominant role of
the trauma concept affects our thinking about violence and its aftermath.
The aim of the conference is to scrutinize social aspects of trauma
discourse and of the practice of trauma therapy – their ideology, politics,
economy. We seek to examine what social aspects are emphasized when we speak
of trauma – individual and collective – and what aspects fade into the
background. Thus, we are interested in topics such as:
- Social Recognition and Denial of Trauma
- Hierarchies Between and Within Victim Groups
- Practical Work with Victim Groups and the Influence of Prejudice and
Idealization
- Hostility and Reconciliation in Conflict Resolution after Extreme Suffering
- Validation and Subversion in Professional Discourses on Trauma
• Social Recognition and Denial of Trauma: Holocaust studies have been and
continue to be relevant, indeed essential to contemporary trauma studies.
Obviously Holocaust research also deals with completely different issues but
clarifying its relationship to investigations into trauma seems to be a
fruitful perspective. The following questions appear useful for both
Holocaust and trauma studies. What meaning do various social contexts
attribute to victimhood? What suffering and which victims get social
recognition and are highlighted as paradigmatic in certain social and
professional discourses, and what suffering is ignored or denied? Which
trauma victims experience their traumatization as a stigmatization, while
others may regard themselves – and be regarded by their peers – as having
gained some form of distinction (as heroes or survivors) by their suffering.
What is the role of social factors such as culture, tradition, religion,
gender, class and ethnicity in turning social affects against victims in
some circumstances, while leading to the social validation of victimhood in
others? What do all these issues have to do with specific political contexts?
• Hierarchies Within and Between Victim Groups: Which social environments
foster or inhibit tendencies toward group formation of trauma victims? What
motivates some trauma victims to organize themselves with others who have
suffered similar traumatization, and what factors impact on their inclusion
in or exclusion from groups whose membership they seek? Alternatively, what
pushes trauma victims to distinguish themselves from others who have been
traumatized and under what conditions may trauma victims get involved in a
competition of suffering? How can victims obtain not only recognition but
justice after being wronged severely? How can civil society deal with
lasting injustice against trauma victims?
• Practical Work with Victim Groups and the Influence of Prejudice and
Idealization: How can psychotherapeutic approaches deal adequately with the
social and political aspects of trauma? What therapeutic approaches appeal
to which types of patients by legitimizing and furthering articulations of
their traumatic experiences and suffering, while marginalizing tabooing or
silencing others? To what degree do therapeutic approaches reflect the
social prejudices or idealizations of practitioners when faced with
traumatized patients, as well as their suspicions of or identifications with
large-scale social institutions and values? How are conflicts played out,
for example, between different professionals who assess the psychological
status of individuals applying for political asylum?
• Hostility and Reconciliation in Conflict Resolution after Extreme
Suffering: Should we overcome the dichotomy between victim and perpetrator
and how can this be done? Can victims be prematurely forced down the road of
reconciliation or even forgiveness? Under what circumstances do political
activists and therapists advocate processes of reconciliation of victims and
perpetrators? How do conceptualizations of trauma and trauma work relate to
processes of peace building and conflict transformation? Are they in any way
helpful, or might they also hinder the process of change? Is trauma a
relevant issue for conflict transformation and peace building? Can the
perspectives of those enhancing peace and those healing trauma be analyzed
as conflicting interests? In which cases do therapeutic and other approaches
to trauma resolution condone and further expressions of hostility against
victims or perpetrators, supporting the stigmatization of both in different
ways as social outcasts?
• Validation and Subversion in Professional Discourses on Trauma: How do
professional discourses on trauma deal with the issue of truth? In what way
and in which cases do they validate the perspectives of trauma victims as
containing a higher or special form of truth? Under what conditions do such
discourses undermine the credibility of victims? How can we grapple with the
tendency of the medical sciences, especially the neurosciences, to objectify
mental states to an increasing extent when dealing with trauma? How do
practitioners (psychiatrists, psychologists, psychoanalysts, social workers,
NGO activists and organizers of support groups) establish professional
hierarchies among themselves, and how do they define and delineate their
diverse professional jurisdictions? In what way do historical, sociological,
political, ethical, legal, biological or literary perspectives reinforce or
undermine the authority of practitioners? How do simplified conflict
theories relate to approaches from the field of resilience research? To what
extent may conceptualizing trauma itself be a reaction, indeed, a kind of
defense mechanism to avert dealing with the narratives of extreme suffering?
And if so, what are the consequences for discourse on trauma?
Papers should address one or some of the manifold social ambivalences evoked
by extreme suffering. The topics and research questions listed above are
meant as suggestions only. They indicate in general terms some of the ways
in which stigma and distinction may come into play with reference to trauma.
Papers are sought that discuss themes and questions of this kind within
specific social, political, historical, geographical, cultural, therapeutic
and cultural contexts.
Deadline for proposals: March 31, 2006.
Proposals should include abstracts of 300-500 words. We are looking forward
to receive proposals together with a short CV by March 31, 2006. We will
acknowledge all proposals upon receipt by e-mail. Papers presented at the
conference will be considered for publication.
The language of the conference will be English.
Further information can be accessed via the web:
URL http://www.traumaresearch.net
The conference is again generously sponsored by the Hamburg Foundation for
the Advancement of Research and Culture.
Conference Conveners
David Becker (Berlin), Cornelia Berens (Hamburg), José Brunner (Tel Aviv),
André Karger (Düsseldorf), Angela Kühner (München), Jan Philipp Reemtsma
(Hamburg).
Please contact in case of interest and for further information:
Cornelia Berens, M.A.
International Network for Interdisciplinary Research about the Impact of
Traumatic Experience on the Life of Individuals and Society (Trauma Research
Net)
Hamburger Institut für Sozialforschung / Hamburg Institute for Social Research
Mittelweg 36
20148 Hamburg
Germany
Phone +49 (40) 41 40 97-38
Fax. +49 (40) 41 40 97-501
Email [log in to unmask]
URL http://www.traumaresearch.net
URL http://www.his-online.de/researchunits/visiting/trn.htm
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