Cultural Trauma: Violence, Radicalization, Extremism and Terrorism

University of the Aegean Summer Schools - Mytilene, Greece

(1 August – 7 August 2018. Hours: 09.00-12.00 and 13.00-16.00, Geography Building, Room B15)

Presenters:

Wednesday 1 August

1.1. Prof. Manussos Marangudakis (Department of Sociology, University of the Aegean)

On Cultural Trauma

Cultural trauma lies between meaning and power. As “meaning” it constitutes the internalization of a horrendous collective event that leaves its mark on the psyche of the members of the collectivity shaping their identity, morality, and behavior. As “power,” cultural trauma, potentially, becomes an organizational means to achieve collective and selective goals, to mobilize resources, to delineate organizational boundaries as well as boundaries of social trust.  It is an empirical, scientific concept which suggests causal relationships between previously unrelated - “irrational”- events, structures, perceptions, and actions, as they occur in a given cultural framework that facilitates, in various forms and intensity, such relationships. It is a social construction which does not exist independent of interpretation. Instead, it constitutes an intentional construction by various social groups and elites (political and/or ideological) in an effort to accrue collective power against the perpetrator, and/or against competing social groups. 

1.2. Visit to Moria (12.30 - 13.30) and to Kara-Tepe (14.00 - 15.00)

Thursday 2 August

2.1. Representative of Medecins Sans Frontieres (to be announced)

“Traumatized refugees: Perception of the self and of Europe after their ordeal”

The representative will reflect on how the ordeal of being uprooted and relocated in refugee camps on the island of Lesvos affects self-image in terms of worth, identity, and potential, as well as Europe in terms of ‘institutional cultures’ such as medical procedures, identification of purpose of entry in the EU, monitoring, and relocation. Based on the above, how could we evaluate the added vulnerability of immigrants/refugees to social and cultural alienation in their new, European, homeland?    

2.2. Dr. Aleksandra Nesic (Senior Social Scientist & Applied Linguist, US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS):

“From Trauma to Terrorism? Origin and Epidemiology of Violent Extremism and Potential Radicalization”

This paper addresses the challenge of young-adult and refugee vulnerability to the spread of violent extremist ideology, subsequent radicalization, and devolution into violence related behavior. The researchers’ approach is characterized by grounded theory that extremism and radicalization originate from profound psychosocial crisis rather than religious belief or unmet physical needs. Based on this grounded theory, researchers design and advocate the implementation of clinical counter-violent extremism, and radicalization intervention and prevention programs that operate far forward of local and national security interdiction points. Our approach to Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) clinical engagement necessitates the operations within the refugee community to repair damaged psychosocial and emotional communities in order to build resiliency against virulent extremist ideology and Violent Extremist Organization (VEO) recruitment. Simultaneously, this approach introduces a Psychosocial-emotional Human Security Analytical Framework to government and other state agency employees responsible for refugee administration, health and welfare. The author demonstrates how radicalization and extremization are psychological processes, not religious beliefs and how community clinical engagement and government services training and advising efforts need to work collaboratively to identify and disrupt lines of extremism and radicalization within the vulnerable young-adult and refugee populations. This paper first outlines the challenges of war-refugees through describing the destabilizing effects of the war refugees on the host populations through psychological concepts of trauma, transference, and countertransference, through which virulent strains of violent ideology spread into vulnerable populations. Second, the paper positions the psychosocial-emotional damage from trauma as the origin of violent extremism as well as describes epidemiology and spreading of extremist messaging. Finally, the paper presents the solution- intervening forward of state and federal security interdiction points by emphasizing the need to repair damaged psychosocial and emotional tissue sufficient to build resiliency of refugees against virulent extremist ideology and VEO recruitment.
 

Friday 3 August

3.1. Dr. Akis Karatrantos (IR and Security Expert, Research Associate KEMEA. RAN LOCAL Member):

“Radicalization Leading to Violent Extremism and Terrorism in Europe: The Case of Islamist – Jihadist Radicalization”

The aim of this lecture is to present the situation about radicalization leading to violent extremism and terrorism in Europe, with a special focus on Islamist- jihadist radicalization. Among the topics to be discussed are:  the deconstruction and description of radicalization leading to violent extremism and terrorism (definitions and terminology, pathways, mechanisms, context, types, factors that may contribute to vulnerability, root causes etc.) the evolution of the jihadist mobilization in Europe (phases, actors, etc.). Furthermore, the changes in radicalization process since the appearance and the dominant action of the ISIS/ DAESH, the phenomenon of cumulative radicalization and extremism (right- wing Vs. Islamist), the online dimension of radicalization and the main trends about the current situation in Europe  (Foreign Fighters, returnees, prisons and probations, local action etc.).  Finally, the last topics to be analyzed are the current terrorist threat in Europe, the situation in the global jihadist terrorism and the modus operandi of the terrorist organizations.

3.2.  Dr. Magda Rooze (TERorism and Radicalization - Senior advisor of Arq Psychotrauma Expert Group):

“Workshop on Prevention of Radicalization”

In the European project FAIR Fighting Against Inmate’s Radicalization we focus on the prevention of radicalization in prisons, which is at the moment a huge challenge for national governments. The objectives are to prevent and deter the process of radicalization and recruitment and to promote disengagement behaviors in radicalized individuals in prisons. We actively include professionals working in the prison system like penitentiary police, social assistance operators, healthcare operators, volunteers, religious representatives, and lawyers in the discussion groups. A training programme will be developed for prison operators to boost their competences and skills, and to set up the alert system to detect and monitor the radicalization process inside the prison. The programme follows the analyses of the European best practices on measures to prevent and combat violent radicalization and mapping of prison operators’ needs.  The EU project CoHESION is set against a context of social polarization, in which there is a strong need for educational methods which emphasize tolerance, inclusion and active citizenship. Its main activities will be fourfold. It will design supporting materials for the Citizenship curriculum for secondary school students, already developed under the successful TERRA II programme ( www.terratoolkit.eu). It will develop a citizenship lesson materials for primary schools based upon mindfulness and inclusion, and school based family support programmes for parents who are worried about radicalization. The overarching objective of our activities will be to contribute to community cohesion through education, providing inoculation against the radical messages of extremist groups, fostering bonds between schools and families and promoting inclusion, tolerance and omniculturalism.

During the workshop the state of the art knowledge on psychosocial aspects of radicalization will be presented and the results of the different European projects will be shared  and discussed. Since the different projects are still on the way, active contribution of the participants is highly appreciated.

Saturday 4 August

4.1. Dr. Aleksandra Nesic (Senior Social Scientist & Applied Linguist, US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS):

“Understanding Information Warfare: The (Mis)Use of Psychological and Cultural Traumas in the Battle for Hearts and Minds: Comparative Case Study ISIS and Russia “

The world is plagued with omnipresent and extremely dangerous war of and for ideas—ideas that polarize and divide, extremize and radicalize, and ultimately weaponize people against each other and the “enemy-other”. Both state and non-state actors are heavily engaged in such activities, i.e. information warfare. Information warfare is psychological warfare—influencing through and winning the “hearts and minds” of a target population. This paper presents two case study examples of a state actor (Russia) and a non-state actor (ISIS) in their quest for influencing populations in order to achieve strategic goals. Author demonstrates how each actor uses fundamental principles of human psychology (including psycho-cultural societal traumas) to develop influence strategies and achieve desired effects.

4.2.  Dr. John O'Brien (Waterford Institute of Technology)

Ignorance & Neglect. The Political Threats to Conflict Resolution: De-radicalisation and the Potential for Re-radicalisation in Northern Ireland'  - PART 1

The thirty-year conflict in Northern Ireland was brought to an end by the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Radicalisation, expressed in the emergence of paramilitary organisations, had occurred due to a historical background of cultural trauma through military defeat and conquest, and a contemporary context of exclusion and discrimination against Catholics, combined with a refusal of reforms to remove discontents by Protestants due to their insecure dominance, combined with a neglect of the problem by Westminster, creating an explosive situation, that ignited in 1969.  However, following the deaths of 3000 people in a small society of 1.5 million and despite the continuing ethnonational division of society, the ‘Peace Process’ is widely seen as a success and has been hailed as a model for the resolution of other conflicts internationally. Now, however, the Good Friday Agreement is under threat by Brexit. Since the referendum result, there has been stasis, and the nature of the deal between the UK from the EU is uncertain. However, what is quite definite is that it will undermine the settlement in Northern Ireland, and on the island of Ireland. History is repeating itself as Ireland, and its recent troubled past was absent in the considerations and calculations of the British Conservative Party, whose leader called the referendum, with the intention of using it to outmanoeuvre his right-wing populist competitors. The Conservative establishment's reaction to being forced to consider, in the Brexit negotiations, the intricately woven web of agreements, institutions and understandings that underpin the Peace Process, has been shock and denial. But the threat is real. The critical effect of EU membership has been to reduce the significance of the border between the Republic and Northern Ireland. The main achievement of the Good Friday Agreement has been the removal of the zero-sum choice between two constitutional arrangements, through the creation of overlapping institutions and the lack of import of borders due to EU membership. The constitutional status of NI is again in question, as the context that devolved power-sharing between the communities occurs within may be dramatically altered. Westminster is committed to being a neutral, disinterested actor in NI, but this has also been undermined. Human Rights protections, which were introduced due to the use of 'enhanced interrogation' techniques during the Troubles, internment, and extra-judicial killing are under threat of being watered down too. Finally, there is a threat to the economic foundation of peace. Northern Ireland has been a substantial beneficiary of EU funding, and its economy is the most exposed of all regions in the UK to Brexit. 

The two sessions will explore the re-bordering of Ireland, its potential impact on the Peace Process, and potentials for re-radicalisation

SUNDAY 5 AUGUST - DAY OFF 

Monday 6 August

5.1. Dr. John O'Brien (Waterford Institute of Technology)  

Ignorance & Neglect. The Political Threats to Conflict Resolution: De-radicalisation and the Potential for Re-radicalisation in Northern Ireland'  - PART 2

The thirty-year conflict in Northern Ireland was brought to an end by the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Radicalisation, expressed in the emergence of paramilitary organisations, had occurred due to a historical background of cultural trauma through military defeat and conquest, and a contemporary context of exclusion and discrimination against Catholics, combined with a refusal of reforms to remove discontents by Protestants due to their insecure dominance, combined with a neglect of the problem by Westminster, creating an explosive situation, that ignited in 1969.  However, following the deaths of 3000 people in a small society of 1.5 million and despite the continuing ethnonational division of society, the ‘Peace Process’ is widely seen as a success and has been hailed as a model for the resolution of other conflicts internationally. Now, however, the Good Friday Agreement is under threat by Brexit. Since the referendum result, there has been stasis, and the nature of the deal between the UK from the EU is uncertain. However, what is quite definite is that it will undermine the settlement in Northern Ireland, and on the island of Ireland. History is repeating itself as Ireland, and its recent troubled past was absent in the considerations and calculations of the British Conservative Party, whose leader called the referendum, with the intention of using it to outmanoeuvre his right-wing populist competitors. The Conservative establishment's reaction to being forced to consider, in the Brexit negotiations, the intricately woven web of agreements, institutions and understandings that underpin the Peace Process, has been shock and denial. But the threat is real. The critical effect of EU membership has been to reduce the significance of the border between the Republic and Northern Ireland. The main achievement of the Good Friday Agreement has been the removal of the zero-sum choice between two constitutional arrangements, through the creation of overlapping institutions and the lack of import of borders due to EU membership. The constitutional status of NI is again in question, as the context that devolved power-sharing between the communities occurs within may be dramatically altered. Westminster is committed to being a neutral, disinterested actor in NI, but this has also been undermined. Human Rights protections, which were introduced due to the use of 'enhanced interrogation' techniques during the Troubles, internment, and extra-judicial killing are under threat of being watered down too. Finally, there is a threat to the economic foundation of peace. Northern Ireland has been a substantial beneficiary of EU funding, and its economy is the most exposed of all regions in the UK to Brexit. 

The two sessions will explore the re-bordering of Ireland, its potential impact on the Peace Process, and potentials for re-radicalisation

5.2. Dr. Christina Papadopoulou (Consultant of International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims. Representative of the National Commission for Human Rights. Consultant of CMF-MENA (Centre for Media Freedom, Middle East & North Africa):

“Lives torn apart: Rehabilitating tortured Syrian refugees”

Over the past six years, the world has been witnessing the fastest growing crisis in the history of humanitarian action as Syria descends further into a conflict more complex, intricate, and violent than many could have ever predicted. The strain exceeds Syria alone, as refugees flee to neighbouring countries including Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon; and as we all know it also extends to Europe. However, the Common European Asylum System is still characterised by considerable flaws and inconsistencies. Many of the fleeing Syrians can only make it to Southern European countries, like Greece, where recognition rates are low, and where they face formidable challenges, including lack of access to an effective asylum procedure, blatantly sub-standard reception conditions, excessive use of detention and inconsistent protection and associated rights.  European solidarity and burden sharing in the sphere of asylum claims is yet to be achieved, to say the least.

The increasing social tension between displaced peoples and their host citizens is also a major concern. The Syrian refugee influx combined with the financial crisis that many countries in the region are facing, is testing the resilience of those countries’ infrastructure and empathy of their citizens. The IRCT, in coordination with a long list of local, national and international organisations is striving to provide treatment and rehabilitation services to the many, among the millions, who are heavily traumatized and, often, torture survivors. What is needed most, across the board of problems, is greater financial investment which feeds into a coordinated, international effort to help Syrian refugees seek safety amidst a conflict, which is very much in the public consciousness, but the realities of the conflict – particularly torture – are not. Addressing sexual and gender-based violence is also a matter of priority. This is an area to which the IRCT is committing much of its attention at the regional level, in synergy with other relevant entities. Training, education, and an increased number of rehabilitation and mental health services need to be further in place. Advocacy work at a governmental level needs to be carried out to encourage them to recognise the problems being faced by millions of people. And all professionals – from the public in the host countries and abroad, to health workers, mental health professionals, legal professionals, security personnel, religious leaders, and more – need to be trained and educated in identifying torture, and in offering pathways which can be taken by refugees to overcome this nightmare.

Tuesday 7 August

6.1. Prof. Panagiotis Grigoriou (University of the Aegean)

“Human rights and the status of refugees in the EU”

The presentation focuses on the EU legislation concerning the protection of the refugees in the member states of the Union as well as the legal protection offered by Western supra-national organizations such as the High Commission of the UN. How effective is this protection, and how much it protects the refuges from social and cultural alienations?

6.2. Prof. Sotiris Chtouris (Sociology Department, University of the Aegean)

“Reflections of Cultural Trauma in Art”

This presentation examines the way in which trauma can establish a special relationship between a community and the sufferer and also around the specificity of its nature. Caravaggio's (1601 - 1602) "The Incredulity of Saint Thomas" provides the opportunity to identify whether trauma, looking beyond Doubting Thomas' incredulous examination of Jesus' wound after the Resurrection, becomes the basis and context for the assembly of a group of Jesus' disciples around the fact of the trauma and not, as we would expect, around the fact of His Death and Resurrection.

Info: m.marangudakis@soc.aegean.gr