Radiance in Pain and Resilience: The Global Reverberation of Palestinian Historical Trauma
Date/Time
Date(s) - 02/27/2024
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Location
Princeton University
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Cost:
FREE USD
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Website:
https://english.princeton.edu/events/radiance-pain-and-resilience-global-reverberation-palestinian-historical-trauma
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Princeton, New Jersey. This lecture extends a compassionate invitation to participants, encouraging them to navigate the profound historical trauma ingrained in the Palestinian experience and its global repercussions. It sheds light on the lasting impact of this trauma on representation and well-being, especially in the face of the continuous distressing military attacks on Gaza.
Embarking on a comprehensive exploration, the lecture delves into the deep-seated historical trauma endured by the Palestinian people, a trauma further intensified by prolonged repression and recurrent military violence. Grounded in the wisdom of Edward Said, the session delves into the psychological dimensions of displacement, dispossession, and cultural distortion. It examines how these elements intricately contribute to the acute challenges in representation and well-being amid the ongoing turmoil.
Examining resilience becomes paramount in this context, exploring the fortitude found in cultural expressions, communal bonds, and international solidarity as essential sanctuaries amidst heightened trauma. The lecture emphasizes the critical role of cultural identity in preserving well-being and navigating the deep wounds of history. Additionally, it illuminates how Israel’s facing charges of genocide before the International Court of Justice contributes to the redress and healing process of the Palestinian people.
Reflecting on intellectual empowerment emerges as a key aspect, serving as a healing tool amid ongoing conflicts. The discussion highlights how Edward Said’s vision of intellectual responsibility offers a framework for psychological resilience and representation in the face of historical trauma.
This lecture intentionally leaves room for more questions than answers, urging the audience to embark on a collective exploration of urgent pathways toward healing and resilience amidst the ongoing historical trauma in Palestine — a trauma with global repercussions that echo with pain.
Samah Jabr is a Palestinian Jerusalemite psychiatrist, psychotherapist and writer, and chair, since 2016, of the Mental Health Unit at the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Inspired by anticolonial psychiatrist Frantz Fanon, her areas of interest include mental health, colonialism and universal human rights. She graduated from Al-Quds University (Jerusalem) in 2001, a member of the first cohort of the Faculty of Medicine. She gained advanced training in psychiatry in France and the United Kingdom, as well as in clinical research in the United States, specialized in psychotherapy and was trained at the Israel Psychoanalytic Institute of Jerusalem. Jabr is one of 22 psychiatrists practicing in the West Bank, and among the first Palestinian women in the profession.