The conference curriculum will be composed of panel modules that will take place throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. Each addresses a unique aspect of the peace process, drawing in academics, professionals, and community organizers to closely examine the intricacies of creating peaceful societies. From responses to psychological trauma to the construction of physical infrastructure for equitable settlements, these panels provide something for everyone. If you can’t make it to all of them, be sure to come out to a couple that interest you and explore some of the interdisciplinary components of peace.
Rebuilding Shattered Psychologies: The Trauma of Conflict
The signing of a peace agreement is not a sufficient step for the end of conflict. Individuals who have participated in conflict, witnessed brutality, and themselves been victimized are changed over the course of conflict in deep psychological ways. This is trauma: an emotional wound or shock that has long-lasting effects. However, as trauma does not usually have direct and recognizable national and international effects, it is often overlooked in the process of splitting spoils and drawing borders at the end of a conflict. Trauma can prevent the afflicted from functioning normally and can impede social reconstruction where it is widespread. Furthermore, trauma prevents people from reconciling, thus ensuring that social conflict can never be fully resolved. In this sense, trauma freezes a “post-conflict” society both physically and psychologically. As trauma is a personal psychological change of state, it is best to study its effects at the individual and community levels.
This panel will attempt to situate trauma conceptually and practically within the broader themes this conference confronts. In particular, speakers will be asked to address how trauma is tied to conflict and peace, why trauma is a unique variable in “post-conflict” reconstruction, and what support mechanisms can be put in place to mitigate the effects of trauma. Panelists will be asked to cite specific examples from their own research and/or field work, identifying where post-conflict trauma is especially prevalent, and who it tends to affect the most severely.
