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Remembrance, trauma and collective memory: the battle for memory in psychoanalysis
1wbohleber@gmx.de
The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis
|March 30, 2007
Summary
Psychoanalysis has shifted away from memory reconstruction, yet traumatic memories resist this change. Restoring memory
Area of Science:
- Psychoanalysis
- Clinical Psychology
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Contemporary psychoanalytic theory de-emphasizes the therapeutic role of remembering past events.
- Traumatic memories present unique challenges, resisting psychic transformation and integration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how traumatic memories resist therapeutic change in psychoanalysis.
- To examine the role of memory reconstruction in addressing trauma, particularly in the context of historical events like the Holocaust.
Main Methods:
- Clinical theoretical analysis of psychoanalytic concepts.
- Discussion of memory, truth, and psychic processes related to trauma.
- Exploration of social and transgenerational effects of historical trauma.
Main Results:
- Traumatic memories function as encapsulated psychic elements, undergoing specific remodellings rather than exact replication.
- Reconstructing traumatic events is crucial for resolving their dynamics and distinguishing fantasy from reality.
- Social discourse on historical truth is vital for individuals and society, especially concerning man-made disasters.
Conclusions:
- Restoring memory's place in psychoanalysis is essential for confronting multifaceted traumatic realities.
- Addressing historical trauma requires confronting difficult truths and avoiding the "reluctance to know."
- Understanding the dynamics and transgenerational effects of remembering crimes is critical for societal healing.
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