Cambodia’s untreated wound
The Khmer Rouge regime and its genocidal aftermath have left a psychological legacy that has crippled the development of Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge regime collapsed almost three decades ago; however, the lack of a healing process for the victims of the trauma, the erosion of trust initiated by the regime, and the delayed establishment of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal and the public distrust in the hybrid court, have still trapped the victims in the past trauma, which prevents them from letting go of their past traumatic experiences to fully contribute to the development of Cambodia.
The Little Children
Then They Started Shooting breaks stereotypes about “traumatized war children” by talking about children’s resilience in dealing with war hardship. In the aftermath of the Bosnian conflict, very few children showed lasting signs of trauma; instead, thoughts of their personal futures filled their minds. In her analyses of individual psychological health, Jones points out that children who avoided searching for explanations for past events have better psychological health than those who did not. Truly, distancing oneself from the past can be protective, but it can also cost the community as a whole. In the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina, it seems that ignoring the past and lacking the will to deal with it can reopen the wounds that never properly healed.
A Reminder of the Costs of the Iraq War and the War on Terror
As tensions escalate again in Iraq and the United States considers further involvement, Andrew Syrios recommends that the American people take a moment to acknowledge the significant costs that the “War on Terror” has already incurred.
Trauma-Sensitive Peace-Building: Lessons for Theory and Practice
Over the past several decades, peace-building and trauma studies have emerged as interdisciplinary fields that seek to better understand their respective social phenomena and develop appropriate responses. Practitioners of peace-building often work in severely conflicted settings with groups that have been exposed to traumatic events, while a number of trauma professionals interact with individuals and groups from conflicted regions. Despite increased cooperation based on the work of scholars and practitioners who have begun to explore the intersection between peace-building and trauma, significant challenges remain, particularly concerning how peacebuilders can make their work more trauma sensitive. This article provides a brief overview of the fields of trauma studies and peace-building, highlights connections between the two areas, reviews recent literature, and discusses the concept of trauma-sensitive peace-building and several challenges of conducting practice in this area.
This article is extracted from Zelizer, C. (2008) Trauma-Sensitive Peace-Building: Lessons for Theory and Practice. Africa Peace and Conflict Journal 1 (1), p. 81-94.
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Risk Factors and Symptoms: Recognizing PTSD
Risk Factors and Symptoms: Recognizing PTSD Author: Julia Merrill Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 10/04/2016 If you or a loved one is in the military, you have likely heard of PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder). Dramatic depictions of the disorder are often seen on TV, spreading at least some awareness to those […]