Notes On Toward A Theory Of Cultural Trauma By Jeffrey C. Alexander

Notes on “Toward a Theory of Cultural Trauma” by Jeffrey C. AlexanderMain points in the paper:What is cultural trauma?What is the role of memory in the creation of or recovery from cultural trauma?Is the suffering of others also our own?We will answer those questions by examining the concepts introduced in the chapter, so here is our table of contents for today:Cultural TraumaLay Trauma Theory – Enlightenment Thinking and Psychoanalytic ThinkingNaturalistic FallacyThe Social Process of Cultural Trauma Collective Trauma as a “Master Narrative”We can start with the first question, what is cultural trauma? Or collective trauma as it is also called in the chapter?“Cultural trauma occurs when members of a collectively feel they have been subjected to a horrendous event that leaves indelible marks upon their group consciousness, marking their memories forever and changing their future identity in fundamental and irrevocable ways.” (Alexander)We also have a definition that makes the concept of collective trauma even more clear by contrasting it against individual trauma, this is a definition by Eriksen, also quotes in the chapter: “By individual trauma I mean a blow to the psyche that breaks through one’s