This international, interdisciplinary conference explores the diversity of languages of psychological trauma in comparative cross-national perspectives and in varying socio-cultural contexts. Besides variations in the medical, socio-historical and political conceptualization of individual and/or collective traumas, it will analyze medial-representations, artistic reflections as well as more subjective forms of traumatic experiences and perceptions of the traumatized, including men, women and children—both as victims of mental/emotional damage and as perpetrators of violence.
Moving trauma research towards new sites of inquiry and innovative methodologies, Languages of Trauma concentrates specifically on dynamics and interconnections between language and trauma in audio-visual media, visual culture, national historiographies, medical and political discourse, literary narratives, and the fine arts. Within this broad subject area, the conference speakers will focus on questions of disciplinary terminology, as well as medical aetiology, diagnosis and treatment, and we will ask how different cultures and interest groups – medical professionals, traumatized individuals and communities, patients, families, politicians, artists and academic scholars – shaped distinct notions and conceptions of “trauma.” How do historically shifting and at times competing understandings of trauma alter and transform forms of trauma languages? Particular attention will be given to the question of how “trauma” is displayed in film corpora from various periods of the 20th and 21st centuries (in medical and feature films as well as in documentaries), and their connection to memory politics, national identity constructions and scientific discourse.
Conference location
Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum, Auditorium, Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 1-3, 10117 Berlin, 25-26 November 2016
Programme
Friday, 25 November
11:30-13:00 Keynote 1—Raya Morag (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Department of Communications and Journalism),
“Perpetrator Trauma in Current World Cinema”, Chair: Julia B. Köhne (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut für
Kulturwissenschaft)
13:00-14:15 Lunch break
14:15-15:45 Seminar 1—Audio-visualization of trauma and history of (psycho)traumatology
Discussion led by: Anne Freese (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, History Department) and Julia B. Köhne (Humboldt-
Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Kulturwissenschaft)
15:45-16:15 Coffee break
16:15-17:45 Seminar 2—Trauma aestheticization and imagery
Discussion led by: Maj Hasager (Malmö Art Academy, Critical Pedagogical Studies-MFA programme) and Peter Leese
(University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Department of English, Germanic and Romance Studies)
Film screening: Decembers – narrating history (15 min.) and scenes from Decembers – a round table conversation
Saturday, 26 November
10:00-11:30 Keynote 2—Thomas Elsaesser (University of Amsterdam, Department of Media & Culture), “Trauma and Media: A
Question of Reference or Mode of Address? Chair: Jason Crouthamel (Grand Valley State University, History Department)
11:30-11:45 Coffee break
11:45-13:15 Seminar 3—Speaking in different voices: Oral and written languages of trauma, and interdisciplinary histories of
trauma conceptualization,
Discussion led by: Ulrich Koch (The George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences) and Steven
Schouten (European University Institute, San Domenico di Fiesole, Florence)
13:15-14:30 Lunch break
14:30-16:30 Keynote 3—Agnieszka Piotrowska (University of Bedfordshire, UK, Film Theory and Practice), “(Postcolonial) Trauma,
Transgression and Transference” Film screening and discussion: Lovers in Time (60 min.) Chair and Introduction: Thomas
Elsaesser (University of Amsterdam, Department of Media & Culture)
16:30-16:45 Coffee break
16:45-18:15 Seminar 4—Silences and Corporealities of Trauma
Discussion led by: Ville Kivimäki (University of Tampere, Finland, School of Social Sciences and Humanities) and Eva
Schwark (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
Conference location: November 25-26 2016 at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum, Auditorium
Conference organizers: Jason Crouthamel (Grand Valley State University) and Julia B. Koehne (Humbolt Universtiy at Berlin)