TLDR;
This video provides a guide on how to approach research in trauma studies. It begins by defining trauma studies as a relatively new area within cultural studies, tracing its origins to Freud's work on hysteria and its development through post-structuralism and post-colonialism. The video highlights the importance of understanding the history and key theorists in the field, exploring various types of trauma (psychological, cultural, collective) and their impact on identity, memory, language, and representation. It also suggests a range of literary works that exemplify trauma narratives, offering a starting point for further exploration and research.
- Trauma studies is a new area in cultural studies that explores the impact of trauma on individuals and societies.
- Key figures in the development of trauma studies include Sigmund Freud, Joseph Brewer, Cathy Caruth, and Kali Tal.
- Different types of trauma include psychological, collective, and cultural trauma, each affecting identity, memory, and representation in unique ways.
Introduction to Trauma Studies [0:00]
The video introduces trauma studies as a relatively new field within cultural studies. To start research in this area, one must first understand what trauma studies is. This involves exploring its definition, its relationship to cultural studies, and its key theorists. Trauma studies emerged in the 1990s, examining the disruptive impact of trauma on individuals and societies, affecting their identity, reality, and language.
Theoretical Foundations and History [2:13]
The video discusses the theoretical underpinnings of trauma studies, tracing its roots back to Sigmund Freud's work on hysteria in the early 20th century. Freud's studies highlighted how repressed memories of traumatic events, particularly sexual assaults, could lead to psychological disorders. Freud and Joseph Brewer's "Studies in Hysteria" (1895) emphasized that the remembrance and handling of an event, rather than the event itself, could create trauma, necessitating a 'talking cure'. Trauma studies later integrated psychological approaches with post-structuralism and post-colonialism. The history of trauma studies is important, beginning in the 1990s but drawing on earlier figures like Jean-Martin Charcot, Pierre Janet, Herman Oppenheim, and Abram Kardiner.
Exploring Trauma: Identity, Memory, and Language [6:37]
Trauma studies explores how trauma affects identity and memory, altering an individual's perception of the external world and social relationships. It examines how trauma shapes and is shaped by language and representation, acknowledging that trauma can sometimes be beyond words or can change one's language. Intergenerational transmission of trauma is also a key area, particularly in women's writing, with examples like Manju Kapur's "Difficult Daughters". The topic of trauma is complex with many manifestations.
Types of Trauma: Psychological, Collective, and Cultural [8:12]
The video identifies different kinds of trauma, including psychological, collective, and cultural trauma. Psychological trauma is viewed as disrupting language, making suffering unrepresentable, although responses to trauma vary. Studies on psychological trauma began with hysteria and include PTSD and developmental disorders. Collective and cultural trauma, studied in cultural sociology, refer to social processes when groups endure horrendous events like genocides or war. Examples include the Holocaust, explored in William Styron's "Sophie's Choice," and analyses by theorists like Ann Kaplan in "The Politics of Terror in Media and Literature" and Michael Rothberg in "Traumatic Realism."
Trauma in Literature: Key Theorists and Texts [12:30]
The study of trauma in literature began with Cathy Caruth, who argued that trauma has become universal and complex, impacting our understanding of history. Kali Tal's "Worlds of Hurt" is another pioneering work, reviewing scholarly works and interviews with trauma survivors. Other important works include Roger Luckhurst's "The Trauma Question," Cathy Caruth's "Trauma: Explorations in Memory," and Jeffrey Hartman's work on traumatic knowledge. Testimony is a genre related to trauma studies, as seen in "Crises of Witnessing" by Shoshanna Felman and Dori Laub.
Literary Examples of Trauma Narratives [15:01]
The video provides literary examples of trauma narratives, including Margaret Atwood's "Surfacing," which explores psychological trauma, alienation, and madness through the experiences of its narrator. Buchi Emecheta's "Second Class Citizen" depicts the trauma of migrant communities, gender discrimination, and racial oppression. Janet Armstrong's "Slash" presents the historical trauma and oppression of native Canadians. Toni Morrison's "Beloved" intermingles racial trauma with the theme of slavery, showing its impact on selfhood and mental health. Other examples include "Serious Blooms at Night" by Shani Mootoo, "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy, "Anil's Ghost" by Michael Ondaatje, and "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, each exploring different facets of trauma.
Conclusion: Research Tips and Further Exploration [22:06]
To conclude, the video encourages wide reading, critical thinking, and application of theories in trauma studies research. It suggests drawing narratives from various sources like partition narratives, rape narratives, and narratives of illness and drug addiction. The video advises to read a lot, think, apply the theories that you read and enjoy.
