Syrian Refugees and Their Traumas

While reading this article about the plight of Syria, and of her refugee crisis, I thought of a new book to which I was recently alerted by the author, the psychoanalyst and scholar Vamik Volkan, whose very useful work I have previously discussed on here. The latest book of his is Immigrants and Refugees: Trauma, Perennial Mourning, Prejudice, and Border Psychology (Karnac Books, 2017), 144pp.

About this book the publisher tells us:

There are political, economic, legal, medical, cultural and religious aspects of the present refugee crisis in Europe. Difficulties in border crossings, settlement programs, life-saving issues and security measures present themselves immediately. The refugee crisis also needs to be examined from a psychological view point. Changes in the 21st Century are occurring at an unprecedented pace and scale. Globalization, incredible advances in communication technology, fast travel, recourse limitations, terrorist activities and now the refugee crisis in Europe make psychoanalytic investigation of the Other a major necessity.

In Part I, case examples illustrate the impact of traumatic experiences, age-factors, large-group identity issues, and trans-generational transmissions. The meanings of the newcomers’ utilization of linking objects and linking phenomena are explored. Part II focuses on the host countries. A detailed description of the evolution of prejudice, especially collective prejudice, against the Other is provided. Also, the psychology of borders is presented. The importance of psychoanalysts’ experiences in examining societal and political matters and their search for ways to communicate their findings to other mental health workers, educators, professionals dealing with refugee crises, and the public in general, are addressed throughout the book.