Situating systemic social oppression as collective trauma: An interdisciplinary analysis

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Systemic social oppression creates collective trauma, affecting groups based on shared identities.
• Existing research often studies collective trauma's impacts without this specific framework.
• A multidisciplinary approach is needed for a holistic understanding of collective trauma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define and conceptualize collective trauma stemming from systemic social oppression.
• To explore the contribution of collective trauma to health and social inequities.
• To integrate multidisciplinary perspectives on collective trauma.

Main Methods:

• Interdisciplinary analysis drawing from various academic fields.
• Conceptual framework development for collective trauma.
• Literature review integrating diverse disciplinary findings.

Main Results:

• Collective trauma is a chronic, complex, transmissible, and cumulative stressor.
• Systemic oppression is a significant source of collective trauma for marginalized communities.
• Collective trauma exacerbates health and social disparities.

Conclusions:

• An integrated, interdisciplinary approach is essential for studying collective trauma.
• Understanding collective trauma is key to addressing health inequities in marginalized populations.
• Further research with reliable data collection methods is needed.