Pier Larson: Reconsidering Trauma
now here is an article i never thought i would have use for again. strangely it fit in with a forum discussion.
reconsidering trauma by pier larson
“historians of identity in the african diaspora have emphasized how africans and their descendants in the america’s forged a sense of community from and through the shared trauma of bondage and exploitation”
the article questions the relationship of enslavement and the african diaspora and evaluates the cultural significance of intracontinental trade. larson argues three points:
1. there is a link b/w trauma of enslavement and identity formation is from time and circumstance, not universal, resulting from the diaspora (larson does a poor job explaining this or i did a poor job of understanding it.) it is here he introduces traumatic memory (extensive idea of PTSD)
2. granting attention to memories and narratives of africans from export slave trade will change methods of historical writing about african enslavement and identity. also mentions that if it was as horrible as we understand it to be wouldnt personal accounts reflect such. imo he sort of counters his ptsd theory.
3. integrate afria and indian ocean movement shifting the study back to africa, enriching studies therefore fostering an appreciation for the diversity of the slave culture.
simply larson is contrasting the current understanding of slave experiences from east africa/indian ocean source (madagascar region) and the western atlantic records.
imo poorly written (or again, poorly understood) but interesting stance.
