Trauma: Social Realities and Cultural Texts

Abstract

This special issue aims to contribute to a deeper and critical understanding of trauma in the societies, cultures, and histories of the Middle East and North Africa. The collection of essays brings together perspectives from the social sciences, humanities and literary studies, not least by exploring the narrativization of suffering, its performative and its non-verbal expression both in social reality and cultural production. In presenting explorations of literary texts, theatre, social realities and theoretical reflection, we hope to contribute to a more comprehensive, nuanced and inclusive view on trauma and memory production both as a cultural and social materiality and as a political formation. The diverse array of different approaches, topics, and disciplines expresses our concern to include and map the diversity and multiplicity of current trauma studies research related to the MENA.