Understanding the structure of autobiographical memories: A study of trauma memories from the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

How do we remember traumatic events, and are these memories different in individuals who experience post-traumatic stress? Some evidence suggests that traumatic events are mnemonically enhanced, or include more episodic detail, relative to other types of memories. Simultaneously, individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have more non-episodic details in all of their memories, a pattern hypothesized to result from impairment in executive function. Here, we explore these questions in a unique population that experienced severely traumatic events more than 20 years ago - individuals who lived through the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Participants recalled events from the genocide, negative events unrelated to the genocide, neutral events, and positive events. We used the Autobiographical Interview method to label memory details as episodic or non-episodic. We found that memories from the genocide showed robust mnemonic enhancement, with more episodic than non-episodic details, and contained more details overall than any other memory type. This pattern was not impacted by post-traumatic stress. Overall, this study provides evidence that traumatic events create vivid long-lasting episodic memories, in this case even more than 20 years later.

Examining factors influencing Turkish Jewish attitudes towards the Armenian genocide.

The most prominent issue influencing Turkish-Armenian relations is the international recognition of the Armenian genocide. However, there is a notable absence of empirical analyses regarding the perceptions of the genocide among the Turkish population. This study aims to fill this scholarly gap by exploring, for the first time, the perspectives of Turkish Jews. It analyses evidence collected from interviews conducted with 14 Turkish Jews, utilising Stanley Cohen's (2001) theoretical framework, which aids in delineating significant factors by a categorisation of types of acceptance and denial. The findings highlight a diversity of responses linked to political attitudes, which can be broadly categorised into Kayades and Avlaremoz mindsets. They also show that Turkish Jews' views on the Holocaust influence how they perceive the Armenian genocide. Additionally, the results indicate that Cohen's approach is useful in explaining non-denying responses. In conclusion, the study argues that Turkish Jews' perspectives appear to be strongly related to their stance towards the Turkish state and the Holocaust.

Bioethical challenges in postwar development aid: The Rwandan case study.

This article considers aspects of a development aid that provides medical support to strengthen pediatric orthopedics in Rwanda. We present part of the Afriquia foundation work, a nonprofit foundation from Poland involved in supporting the medical sector in Rwanda as a sign of global solidarity and the human right to health. The main foundation's activity is the treatment of orthopedic problems among Rwandan citizens. We present a case study of two children under the care of the Afiquia foundation. 11-year-old Seraphine treated due to the consequences of right tibia osteomyelitis and 11-year-old Lavi suffering from osteogenesis imperfecta. Both children were treated surgically in Poland due to Rwanda's lack of treatment possibilities. After the applied treatment, Seraphine walks correctly without crutches and can attend school and thrive among her peers. Lavi has not sustained any fragility fracture since the surgery in Poland. He is healthy and constantly ongoing his rehabilitation including gait training. The described cases initiated development aid in Rwanda, supplying hospitals with orthopedic implants and training medical staff. The growing number of humanitarian crises across the globe and the people affected requires increasing organizations involved in providing relief. The emphasis should be on global education, aiming to make the recipients reflect and prepare them to face humanitarian crises.

The Holocaust Experience and Its Role in the Association Between Meaning in Life, Depressive Symptoms and Life Satisfaction.

Holocaust survivors often reveal long-term depressive symptoms, while demonstrating life satisfaction. The present study examined the role of meaning in life (MIL) of Holocaust survivors in this context. Survivors (n = 44) and comparisons (n = 51) provided background information and completed MIL, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction scales. MIL was associated with lower depressive symptoms and higher life satisfaction. Moreover, the MIL-depressive symptoms/life satisfaction links were stronger among Holocaust survivors. Results provide insight for tailoring treatment interventions for older adults who have been exposed to prolonged traumatic experiences or genocide, that focus on MIL, to enhance mental health.

Mental health in genocide: Balancing between posttraumatic distress and growth among displaced Yazidi mothers.

Background. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) committed genocide of the Yazidis in Sinjar 2014, resulting in dispersion and enslavement. Research shows severe mental health problems, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among survivors, but less is known about their resources and strengths, conceptualized as posttraumatic growth (PTG). Aims. are to examine the balance between symptoms and strengths among Yazidi women caring for their infants by identifying groups differing in PTSD and PTG, and analyze how demographic, obstetric, and infant-related factors associate with the groups. Method. Participants were 283 Yazidi mothers with their 1-18-month-old infants displaced in Kurdish Region of North Iraq. PTSD symptoms were measured by Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and PTG by the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Results. identified four groups: "Severe symptoms and low growth" (39%), "Low symptoms and moderate growth" (38%), "Moderate symptoms and very high growth" (13%), and "Moderate symptoms and low growth" (10%). Low education, economic difficulties and obstetric problems related to the "Severe symptoms and low growth" group, whereas newborn and infant health problems did not have an impact. Conclusion. Effective help for genocide survivors should both alleviate suffering and encourage resources through tools of recreating a sense of cultural security and pride.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: The Influence of the Environmental Context and Analysis of Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory and Glycemic Markers in Women Living in Kurdistan Regional Government-Iraq.

Background Internally displaced persons (IDP) camps are still home to a large number of female survivors of the Yazidi genocide carried out in Iraq in 2014 by the Islamic organization known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Many of these women suffer from a persistent form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can last for many years. On the other hand, little is known about the intricate etiology of PTSD. Objectives In this observational cross-sectional study, the biochemical parameters, including inflammatory and oxidative stress (OXS) markers, were evaluated in two groups: the case group (women with newly diagnosed PTSD) and the control group (apparently healthy women). Furthermore, how the environment impacts the biochemical and OXS parameters of people not diagnosed with PTSD but living in IDP camps was also analyzed. Materials and methods The PTSD group (n=55, age=30.0 years) was made up of women survivors of genocide-related events living in IDP camps in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The studied parameters in the PTSD group have been compared to two healthy control groups: (1) internal control group (n=55, age=28.1 years): healthy women living inside the IDP camps; and (2) external control group (n=55, age=28.3 years): healthy women living outside the IDP camps. The diagnosis of PTSD was conducted using a validated Kurdish version of the PTSD Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) (PCL-5) scale. Blood samples were collected to determine the level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and the concentrations of fasting serum glucose (FSG), C-reactive protein (CRP), ceruloplasmin (CP), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyls (PC), and catalase (CAT) activity. Results Women with PTSD presented increased values of FSG (4.41%, p<0.05), HbA1c (4.74%, p<0.05), and CRP (114.29%, p<0.05), as well as increased levels of 8-OHdG (185.97%, p<0.001), CP (27.08%, p<0.001), MDA (141.97%, p<0.001), and PC (63.01%, p<0.001), besides increased CAT activity (121.5%, p<0.001), when compared with the control groups. A significant reduction of GSH (-20.33%, p<0.05) was observed in PTSD patients as compared to the external control group. In relation to the internal control group, women diagnosed with PTSD presented significantly increased levels of FSG (3.88%, p<0.05), HbA1c (2.83%, p<0.05), CRP (77.97%, p<0.05), and PC (41.3%, p<0.05), as well as increased levels of 8-OHdG (118.84%, p<0.001), CP (22.72%, p<0.001), MDA (90.67%, p<0.001), and CAT activity (55.31%, p<0.001). Healthy individuals residing in IDP camps, compared with external healthy control, presented significantly elevated levels of 8-OHdG (30.68%, p<0.001), MDA (26.91%, p<0.001), PC (15.37%, p<0.001), and CAT activity (42.62%, p<0.001). Conclusion Our findings indicate that PTSD significantly influences glycemic, inflammatory, oxidant, and antioxidant parameters, as evidenced by increased levels of FSG, HbA1C, CRP, PC, MDA, 8-OHdG, and CP, as well as increased CAT activity and a reduced GSH concentration in the PTSD group in comparison to the external control group. Additionally, our results suggest that the environmental context in IDP camps by itself can potentially affect oxidant and antioxidant parameters, as evidenced by the increased concentrations of 8-OHdG, MDA, and PC and increased CAT activity found in individuals not diagnosed with PTSD but living inside the camps.

Intergenerational trauma transmission through family psychosocial factors in adult children of Rwandan survivors of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

Thirty years after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, children of survivors are being increasingly documented to be at higher risk compared to their peers for adverse mental health outcomes. However, no studies in Rwanda have empirically explored family psychosocial factors underlying this intergenerational transmission of trauma. We investigated family psychosocial factors that could underlie this transmission in 251 adult Rwandan children of survivors (mean age = 23.31, SD = 2.40; 50.2% female) who completed a cross-sectional online survey. For participants with survivor mothers (n = 187), we found that both offspring-reported maternal trauma exposure and maternal PTSD were indirectly associated with children's PTSD via maternal trauma communication (specifically, nonverbal and guilt-inducing communication), and that maternal PTSD was indirectly associated with children's PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms through family communication styles. For participants with survivor fathers (n = 170), we found that paternal PTSD symptoms were indirectly associated with children's anxiety and depression symptoms via paternal parenting styles (specifically, abusive and indifferent parenting). Although replication is needed in longitudinal research with parent-child dyads, these results reaffirm the importance of looking at mass trauma in a family context and suggest that intergenerational trauma interventions should focus on addressing family communication, trauma communication, and parenting.

A Theoretical Model of Victimization, Perpetration, and Denial in Mass Atrocities: Case Studies From Indonesia, Cambodia, East Timor, and Myanmar.

ACADEMIC ABSTRACT: The present article discusses victimization, perpetration, and denial in mass atrocities, using four recent case studies from Southeast Asia. The four cases include Indonesia (in which hundreds of thousands died in anti-Communist violence), Cambodia (in which the Khmer Rouge killed more than one million civilians), East Timor (in which more than one hundred thousand civilians died during the Indonesian occupation), and Myanmar (in which the state/army is accused of genocide toward the Rohingyas). Our aim is to bring a psychological lens to these histories, with a focus on three processes relevant to genocide. We examine, first, how the victims were targeted; second, how the perpetrators were mobilized; and third, the denial, justification, meaning-making, and commemoration of the atrocities. We propose a novel theoretical model, TOPASC: A Theory of the Psychology of Atrocities in Societal Contexts, highlighting the psychology of atrocities as involving factors across the macro, meso, and micro contexts. PUBLIC ABSTRACT: We introduce a new model, "TOPASC: A Theory of the Psychology of Atrocities in Societal Contexts," to explain why people justify mass killings and why certain group members are consistently targeted. In our model, we explore how mass atrocities against specific groups are influenced by psychological dynamics in intergroup situations which, in turn, are shaped by socio-historical contexts and individual psychologies. To illustrate these ideas, we analyze four cases of mass atrocities in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Cambodia, East Timor, and Myanmar. These cases highlight how different social groups, characterized by diverse ideologies, ethnicities, genders, or religions, exhibit varying vulnerabilities as perpetrators or victims based on their social and power status. Mass atrocities are not sudden occurrences but rather result from a series of complex processes and events.

Umwana w'umugore: The gendered realities of girls born of conflict-related sexual violence and their mothers in post-genocide Rwanda.

This article explores the challenges, needs and capacities of girls born of conflict-related sexual violence during the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi. Twenty-nine interviews and 11 focus groups were conducted with girls born of genocidal rape, alongside 44 interviews with mothers of children born of genocidal rape. In a society where Umwana w'umugore - being 'the child of a woman' - is considered an insult for children born of rape, gendered realities profoundly shape girls' experiences. Data reveal that girls born of genocidal rape face challenges related to identity and belonging, multiple forms of violence and economic challenges. Moreover, girls sustain the indirect consequences of gender-based injustices committed against their mothers, making stigma and social exclusion shared and intergenerational experiences, alongside mutual care and support. Policy development must take into account the unique needs of girls born of rape, the precarious situation of their mothers and broader gender inequalities.

Do Narcisismo das Pequenas Diferenças ao Gozo Narcísico / From the Narcissism of Small Differences to Narcissistic Jouissance / Del Narcisismo de las Pequeñas Diferencias al Goce Narcisista

A proposta desse ensaio é retomar a incursão de Freud, a partir da Primeira Guerra Mundial, na fonte do sofrimento que vem das relações entre os humanos, indicando a novidade que significou o conceito de narcisismo das pequenas diferenças na apreensão dos movimentos coletivos que declaram uma inócua expressão de hostilidade ao outro, ou os que promulgam ações destrutivas e mortíferas contra o outro eleito como seu inimigo absoluto. Com o advento da pulsão de morte, Freud redimensiona o conceito de narcisismo das pequenas diferenças e introduz a ideia de que a satisfação das pulsões que atingem a mais cega fúria de destruição, está conectada a um gozo [Genuß] narcísico. Esse gozo, na leitura de Lacan, é um mal porque comporta um mal à alteridade. É com esse legado que nos propomos pensar a extensão da psicanálise ao discurso decolonial e outros discursos contra hegemônicos, através do diálogo interdisciplinar, na leitura das linguagens de ódio que enfrentamos em nossa época.

The purpose of this essay is to resume Freud's incursion, from the First World War, on the source of the suffering that comes from the relationships between humans, indicating the novelty that meant the concept of narcissism of small differences in the apprehension of collective movements that declare an innocuous expression of hostility to the other, or those who enact destructive and deadly actions against the other chosen as their absolute enemy. With the advent of the death drive, Freud re-dimensions the concept of narcissism of small differences and introduces the idea that the satisfaction of drives that reach the blindest fury of destruction is connected to a narcissistic jouissance [Genuß]. This jouissance, in Lacan's reading, is an evil because it entails an evil to alterity. It is with this legacy that we propose to think about the extension of psychoanalysis to the decolonial discourse and other counter-hegemonic discourses, through interdisciplinary dialogue, in the reading of the languages of hate that we face in our time.

El propósito de este ensayo es retomar la incursión de Freud, desde la Primera Guerra Mundial, sobre el origen del sufrimiento que proviene de las relaciones entre los humanos, señalando la novedad que significó el concepto de narcisismo de las pequeñas diferencias en la aprehensión de los movimientos colectivos que declaran una expresión inocua de hostilidad hacia el otro, o los que ejecutan acciones destructivas y mortíferas contra el otro elegido como su enemigo absoluto. Con el advenimiento de la pulsión de muerte, Freud redimensiona el concepto de narcisismo de las pequeñas diferencias e introduce la idea de que la satisfacción de las pulsiones que alcanzan la más ciega furia de destrucción está ligada a un goce narcisista [Genuß]. Este goce, en la lectura de Lacan, es un mal porque implica un mal a la alteridad.Es con este legado que nos proponemos pensar la extensión del psicoanálisis al discurso decolonial y otros discursos contrahegemónicos, a través del diálogo interdisciplinario, en la lectura de los lenguajes de odio que enfrentamos en nuestro tiempo.

From Holocaust to Anfal: The impact of genocide and cross-generational trauma on the mental health of Kurds.

Genocide attempts are among the most severe traumatic events that are transmitted across generations. However, it may also prove the strength and survivability as well as the vulnerability of the targeted group. Anfal and chemical attacks on Halabja on Iraqi Kurds that targeted their annihilation had a devastating impact. Many survivors and their generations are still dealing with their effects on psychological disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. To address the psychological effects of these tragic events on survivors and their generations and propose the actions to be taken, this article explores the psychological trauma and problems caused by attempted genocide and chemical attacks in the case of Anfal campaign. These effects require more research to fully understand the long-term effects of these tragedies, as well as support and provision of comprehensive psychological and mental health interventions to their survivors and generations.

The Hawai'i NHPI Data Disaggregation Imperative: Preventing Data Genocide Through Statewide Race and Ethnicity Standards.

Federal race and ethnicity data standards are commonly applied within the state of Hawai'i. When a multiracial category is used, Native Hawaiians are disproportionately affected since they are more likely than any other group to identify with an additional race or ethnicity group. These data conventions contribute to a phenomenon known as data genocide - the systematic erasure of Indigenous and marginalized peoples from population data. While data aggregation may be unintentional or due to real or perceived barriers, the obstacles to disaggregating data must be overcome to advance health equity. In this call for greater attention to relevant social determinants of health through disaggregation of race and ethnicity data, the history of data standards is reviewed, the implications of aggregation are discussed, and recommended disaggregation strategies are provided.

The prevalence of psychiatric disorders among Yazidi people results from ISIS invasion and consecutive trauma: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The Yazidi community is a Kurdish minority of the population that lives mainly in Iraq. In history, they suffered from many problems and disasters, including the most recent brutal invasion by ISIS, which significantly impacted their mental health. AIMS: Our objective is to examine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among Yazidi people resulting from the invasion of ISIS in 2014. METHODS: A systematic review was performed using the PRISMA protocol. 252 publications were initially identified in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar using relevant keywords. Finally, 23 full articles were included for data extraction. The inclusion criteria were English papers that investigated Yazidi's psychiatric problems, regardless of gender, or age. However, letters to editors, systematic reviews, and studies that examine general physical health were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 252 publications were identified; 217 were assessed for eligibility, of which 23 studies met eligibility criteria and were included in the present systematic review. According to the findings, the Yazidi people were severely affected by persecution, forced migration, massacres, and ISIS violence in the recent period and suffered from a variety of mental and psychiatric problems. The most prevalent mental disorders among Yazidi people of all ages and sexes are PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorders. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that the Yazidi minority is a traumatized population. According to the results of the current systematic review, the Yazidi have suffered from a variety of mental and psychological disorders, most commonly PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Eventually, addressing these challenges should be prioritized to improve the quality of life of Yazidis through implications for intervention.

Skeletal evidence of the ethnic cleansing actions in the Free City of Danzig (1939-1942) based on the KL Stutthof victims analysis.

In the early days of World War II, many of the prominent and influential people of Polish nationality from the Free City of Danzig were arrested by the Germans and sent to the nearby concentration camp KL Stutthof. Nearly a hundred of them died within the next seven months upon their arrival, and were buried in a clandestine mass grave in a nearby forest. However, the exact nature of their death is unknown, as it is unclear what the attitude of the aggressors was toward the victims. We do not know whether there was only one executioner or there were several assassins, nor if the killing methodology was consistent with the other state-regulated executions. The studied material represents the commingled remains of a minimum thirty-four people, possibly all male, aged from under eighteen to over sixty at the time of death. Perimortem traumatic lesions are shown mainly on the skull bones. We asked whether the perimortem trauma lesions visible on the victims' skeletons could be informative on the cause and manner of their death. Our results show the prevalence of the perimortem trauma inflicted by a blunt object are on the parietal bones above the Hat Brim Line (HBL), which is commonly associated with a violent attack. The gunshot trauma was usually localized on the occipital bone or posterior parietal, which could indicate a shot to the back of the head, and this was commonly encountered during executions. No signs of defensive injuries can be explained either by restraining of the hands or by a surprise attack. The abundance and variability of the trauma type can be evident of multiple assailants. Moreover, the multiple impact points detected on several crania prove unnecessary overkill and brutality, which reflects the personal attitudes of the executioners towards the victims.

The psychological impact of genocide on the Yazidis.

Background: The genocide against the Yazidis by the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) in the Sinjar area of Northern Iraq has costed many lives and has also caused a psychological long-term impact in this minority. This impact can be seen among individual survivors. Additionally, there is a large number of direct and indirect victims and for this reason, the impact can also be observed on the level of the group and society in this region at large. Methodology: The research examines three different population groups (Yazidis members who had been exposed to violence by terrorist group actions, those not exposed to this experience as they were living in an area not directly exposed to ISIS violence, and a control group of non - Yazidi general population members). In total, 425 participants (age range 15-78) took part in the study and participated in interviews using standard scales to measure general physical and mental health. Results: The results demonstrate that psychological stress and suicidality are higher among the Yazidis survivors of violence than in the other Yazidi participants. Conclusion: Psychological disorders after a genocide and war in post-conflict populations should receive more attention in the planning of mental health care and prevention and should be seen as a major problem, especially in camp settings and displaced persons besides the usual increased prevalence of posttraumatic stress and other disorders covered by research so far in this context.

"A calf cannot fail to pick a colour from its mother": intergenerational transmission of trauma and its effect on reconciliation among post-genocide Rwandan youth.

BACKGROUND: More than one million Rwandans were killed over a span of one hundred days during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis. Many adult survivors were severely traumatized by the events, and young people, including those who were born after the genocide, have experienced similar genocide-related trauma. Building on a growing body of research on the generational transmission of trauma, our study addressed the following questions: (1) what are the possible mechanisms of trauma transmission from older generation to post-genocide Rwandan youth, and (2) what are the effects of intergenerational trauma on reconciliation processes in Rwanda. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted in Rwanda among youth born after the genocide, with parents who survived the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis and among mental health and peace-building professionals. Individual interviews (IDIs) included 19 post-genocide descendants of survivors and six focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 36 genocide survivor parents residing in Rwanda's Eastern Province. Ten IDIs were also conducted with mental health and peace-building professionals in the capital city of Kigali. Respondents were recruited through five local organisations that work closely with survivors and their descendants. An inductive thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Findings from this study suggest that the trauma experienced by genocide survivor parents is perceived by Rwandan youth, mental health and peace-building professionals, and survivor parents themselves to be transmitted from parent to child through human biology mechanisms, social patterns of silence and disclosure of genocide experiences, and children's and youth's everyday contact with a traumatized parent. Genocide-related trauma among survivor parents is seen as often being triggered by both life at home and the annual genocide commemoration events. Additionally, when transmitted to genocide survivor descendants, such trauma is understood to negatively affect their psychological and social well-being. Intergenerational trauma among youth with genocide survivor parents limits their involvement in post-genocide reconciliation processes. Findings specifically show that some youth avoid reconciliation with a perpetrator's family due to mistrust as well as fear of re-traumatizing their own parents.

'You don't compare horrors, you just don't do that': Examining assumptions and extending the scope of comparative victim beliefs.

Social psychological research on collective victimhood has often focused on comparisons between the ingroup's and outgroups' collective victimization (i.e. comparative victim beliefs such as competitive victimhood or inclusive victim beliefs). This qualitative study examines how people in different contexts of collective victimization and its aftermath make sense of items commonly used to assess comparative victim beliefs, and how they extend or challenge these constructs and their underlying assumptions. We used thematic analysis to analyse eight focus group discussions among four minority groups in the United States with historical or more recent experiences of collective victimization (Armenian Americans, Burundian refugees, Jewish Americans and Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees). Findings extend commonly assessed comparative victim beliefs and reveal participants' critical perspectives on these constructs. The findings also highlight the dialectical structure of collective victim beliefs: Participants not only endorsed but also rejected comparative victim beliefs, and relatedly described both ingroup power and outgroup power in the context of their group's victimization. These findings extend existing social psychological literature on comparative victim beliefs and intergroup relations.

Examining associations between personal growth initiative and subjective trajectories of life satisfaction among survivors of ethnopolitical violence in Rwanda and Sri Lanka.

Does personal growth initiative (PGI)-the tendency to be proactive about one's personal development-impact adaptive beliefs about life quality among survivors of mass violence, such as ethnopolitical warfare or genocidal violence? One-hundred-and-twenty-three survivors of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and 179 Tamil individuals affected by the civil war in Sri Lanka completed assessments of PGI, satisfaction with one's past life, current life satisfaction, and anticipated future life satisfaction. High levels of PGI were associated with an adaptive inclining trajectory of life satisfaction (Past < Present < Future) in both samples. These results indicate that PGI is associated with adaptive beliefs about one's identity and well-being among war-affected populations, and supports future interventions targeting PGI among those communities.

'An incorporeal disease': COVID-19, social trauma and health injustice in four Colombian Indigenous communities.

Worldwide, medical doctors and lawyers cooperate in health justice projects. These professionals pursue the ideal that, one day, every individual on Earth will be equally protected from the hazards that impair health. The main hindrances to health justice are discrimination, poverty and segregation, but we know that beyond concrete, quantifiable barriers, symbolic elements such as beliefs and fears also play a significant role in perpetuating health injustice. So, between March 2020, when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and June 2021, when vaccines against the virus were globally available, we collected original information about the ways in which four Colombian Indigenous communities confronted COVID-19. Knowing that Colombian Indigenous communities often face health injustices, our goal was to understand the role of symbolic elements in the situation. Our main insight is that historical genocidal processes, in which the powerful have betrayed the trust of Indigenous communities, have created a trauma in the latter, resulting in reluctance and suspicion regarding the acceptance of 'gifts' from external sources, including potentially beneficial health treatments.

A subtração da vida como política de morte: vozes de mães de jovens negros assassinados / The subtraction of life as a policy of death: voices of mothers of murdered young black people / La sustracción de vida como política de muerte: voces de madres de jóvenes negros asesinados

Objetivamos reconstruir, por meio das vozes de mães de jovens negros mortos em ações policiais, a subtração da vida de seus filhos em contínuas políticas que precarizavam suas existências ao negar-lhes direitos básicos e cidadania. Participaram desta pesquisa seis mães. As conversas com elas, após cuidadosa aproximação, se iniciaram com a pergunta disparadora: "Como você gostaria de contar a história do seu filho?". Para subsidiar nossas análises, tomamos como centrais a articulação teórica e política das noções de genocídio negro e de necropolítica. Este artigo evidencia que, entre o nascimento e a interrupção da vida por balas que atravessam o corpo como um alvo predestinado, o racismo constrói trilhos de precarização da vida que a torna cada vez mais abjeta, vulnerável e descartável, conduzindo à morte precoce, ainda que preveníveis, de jovens negros, principalmente, residentes em periferias e favelas. Nesta discussão, fomentamos uma visão menos compartimentalizada das múltiplas políticas genocidas, trazendo para o diálogo outras políticas públicas, para além da segurança pública. Abordamos um continuum de produção e legitimação de mortes de jovens negros, centrando nossas análises nas formas de apagamento social e institucional desses jovens, que ocorreram anteriormente à morte física, de modo a desqualificar suas vidas. Esses processos contribuem para que a política de segurança pública extermine vidas de jovens negros sem causar ampla comoção social, a devida investigação criminal e, portanto, a responsabilização do Estado, pois já eram vidas mutiladas e desumanizadas em suas existências.(AU)

We aim to reconstruct, with the voices of mothers of young black people killed in police actions, the subtraction of their children's lives in continuous policies that undermined their existence by denying them basic rights and citizenship. Six mothers participated in this research. The conversations with them, after a careful approach, began with the triggering question: "How would you like to tell your child's story?". To support our analyses, we take as central the theoretical and political articulation of the notions of black genocide and necropolitics. This article shows that, between the birth and the interruption of life by bullets that pass through the body as a predestined target, racism builds trails of precariousness of life that makes it increasingly more abject, vulnerable, and disposable, leading to premature death, even if preventable, of young black people, mainly, living in suburbs and slums. In this discussion, we foster a less compartmentalized view of multiple genocidal policies, bringing to the dialogue other public policies, in addition to public safety. We approach a continuum of production and legitimization of deaths of young black people, centering our analysis on the forms of social and institutional erasure of these young people, which occurred before physical death, to disqualify their lives. These processes contribute to the public security policy to exterminate the lives of young black people without causing widespread social upheaval, due criminal investigation, and, thus, the accountability of the State, since they were already mutilated and dehumanized lives in their existence.(AU)

El objetivo de este artículo es reconstruir, a través de las voces de las madres de jóvenes negros asesinados en acciones policiales, la sustracción de la vida de sus hijos en políticas continuas que socavaron su existencia al negarles derechos básicos y ciudadanía. Seis madres participaron en esta investigación. Las conversaciones con estas madres, después de un enfoque cuidadoso, comenzaron con la pregunta desencadenante: "¿Cómo le gustaría contar la historia de su hijo?". Para apoyar el análisis, se tomó como eje central la articulación teórica y política de las nociones de genocidio negro y necropolítica. Este artículo muestra que, entre el nacimiento y la interrupción de la vida por balas que atraviesan el cuerpo como fin predestinado, el racismo construye senderos de precariedad de la vida que la hace cada vez más abyecta, vulnerable y desechable, conduciendo a una muerte prematura, incluso prevenible, de jóvenes negros, principalmente, residentes en la periferia y favelas. Esta discusión fomenta una visión menos compartimentada de múltiples políticas genocidas, llevando al diálogo otras políticas públicas, además de la seguridad pública. Se acerca a un continuo de producción y legitimación de muertes de jóvenes negros, centrando el análisis en las formas de borrado social e institucional de estos jóvenes, ocurridas antes de la muerte física, para descalificar sus vidas. Tales procesos contribuyen a la política de seguridad pública para exterminar la vida de los jóvenes negros sin provocar un gran revuelo social, la debida investigación criminal y, en consecuencia, la rendición de cuentas del Estado, pues ya eran vidas cuya existencia era mutilada y deshumanizada.(AU)