Search Results (124)

This article examines memory and monuments in the science fiction Star Trek franchise as a lens for understanding commemoration technologies and how futuristic visions of memorials anticipated real ones, especially during times of conflict. To understand the cultural reciprocity of sci-fi television and contemporary commemoration of war and trauma, we investigate the interactive website produced by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, Kan, titled Kan 7.10.360, which commemorates the victims of the 7 October 2023 Hamas massacre of civilians, soldiers, and policemen in Israel’s Gaza Envelope region. The 7.10.360 website employs advanced technologies to create what we identify as a digital “counter-monument.” By applying the concept of metamemorial science fiction relating to the Shoah, investigating its victims’ commemoration and examining the globital turn in memory work, we demonstrate that the Kan project realizes digital mnemonic practices engaged in Star Trek. We argue that the renowned series performs and anticipates three aspects of globital memory work and novel digital commemoration, also prevalent in the Kan 7.10.360 website: the personalization of memory using images; televisual testimony or documentation that mediates personal experience; and the display of objects that symbolize quotidian aspects of the victims’ lives. Full article

Distinguishing peri-mortem trauma from heat-induced trauma is often a challenging aspect of forensic anthropology casework where fire has been used as a means of concealing evidence. This paper aims to explore the extent to which peri-mortem ballistic trauma characteristics are still present after burning and whether they can be distinguished from heat-induced fractures. This research used Sus domesticus femora and ribs that had been manually defleshed and shot with 7.92 × 57 mm Mauser ammunition at a shooting distance of 3 m, 10 m and 20 m. This type of firearm and ammunition were commonly used in a number of conflicts, such as the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). The fracture patterns as a result of the ballistic trauma were analysed prior to placing the samples in an electric furnace, where they were heated at a peak temperature of 850 °C for 30 min. Post-burning, each fragment was analysed for ballistic and heat-induced trauma. Following reconstruction, entry and exit wound morphology and radiating fractures remained, with entry wounds being more clearly defined than exit wounds. Ballistic trauma characteristics such as bevelling were still apparent after burning. The results of this study reveal that pre-existing ballistic trauma is still identifiable after bones have been exposed to heat and it is possible to reconstruct the bones to gain a better interpretation. Full article

In recent years, Norwegian cultural production has increasingly foregrounded the experiences of sailors serving aboard merchant vessels allied with the British during the Second World War. These men endured not only physical injuries from submarine and aerial attacks, but also profound psychic trauma, often manifesting in post-war alcoholism and depression. However, the war at sea also left indelible marks on women’s bodies. This article examines Vigdis Stokkelien’s trilogy on Gro—Lille-Gibraltar (Little Gibraltar, 1972), Båten under solseilet (The boat under the sun sail, 1982), and Stjerneleden (The star joint, 1984)—to explore how emotions as fear, shame and pain circulate between different individuals and groups during the war and in war memories. Drawing on affect theory, this reading of Stokkelien’s novels demonstrates how what happened at sea marked Norwegian bodies and national identity for a long time after the war. Full article

The Unbroken Rehabilitation Center in Lviv illustrates how architectural design can support recovery in post-conflict conditions. Drawing on concepts of healing environments, evidence-based design, and trauma-informed architecture, this study aimed to identify architectural strategies that enhance physical and psychological rehabilitation in war-affected populations. A mixed-method approach was applied, combining field observations, architectural analysis, and user surveys triangulated with interviews and documentation review. Results show that decentralised layouts, daylight access, barrier-free circulation, and cross-laminated timber (CLT)-based vertical expansion contribute to therapeutic effectiveness. Survey data from 45 respondents confirmed very high ratings for accessibility (9–10/10) and strong appreciation of group therapy rooms (9.0), art therapy (8.8), and music therapy (8.7). These findings highlight the value of sensory and symbolic elements, including natural materials and culturally embedded art. While the exploratory character and uneven respondent distribution limit generalisability, the triangulated methodology enhanced reliability and revealed clear user trends. The study demonstrates that architectural design can actively support resilience and rehabilitation in war-affected contexts, offering transferable insights for future post-conflict reconstruction. Full article

Objective: This study aimed to identify psychological characteristics associated with suicidal ideation among Palestinian university students in the West Bank during a period of escalating regional violence (October 2023), with data collected prior to the end of the war, a period marked by intensified political violence and collective trauma. The goal was to identify empirically derived psychological profiles of distress and coping using Latent Profile Analysis. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 900 students assessed depression, anxiety, self-efficacy, resilience, help-seeking attitudes, and suicidal ideation during the past 12 months. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), logistic regression, and moderated mediation analysis were employed to investigate the relationships between distress, self-efficacy, resilience, and suicidal ideation. Results: Results indicate that depression and anxiety are associated with increased 12-month suicidal ideation, but greater self-efficacy appears to reduce this risk. The mediation analysis revealed that self-efficacy partially explains the relationship between distress and suicidal ideation; however, resilience did not have a significant moderating effect. The LPA identified three distinct psychological profiles, with the highest-risk group exhibiting significant distress and low self-efficacy. Conclusions: These results highlight the significant mental health burden faced by Palestinian youth and underscore the importance of internal psychological resources, particularly self-efficacy, that are associated with lower levels of suicidal ideation. Enhancing self-efficacy may offer a culturally relevant approach for prevention efforts in politically unstable environments. Full article

Gunshot injuries are challenging conditions because of the unique characteristics of the wounding agents producing soft tissue damage that may be compounded by the formation of an expanding temporary cavity (cavitation). Variations in ballistic performance leading to higher energy transfer by the projectile, including bullet tumbling, deformation, and fragmentation, cause increased soft tissue injury and may also lead to more extensive bone comminution compromising local blood supply. Once life-threatening injuries have been excluded or properly addressed, the emergency management of localized trauma from bullets and shotgun pellets may be complicated due to progressive tissue necrosis within the zone of injury. Additionally, the risk of infection should be tackled, especially in high energy bone injuries. War experience suggests a baseline separation between wounds with limited tissue destruction which can routinely be managed as simple penetrating injuries and those resulting from high energy transfer to the tissues involving a substantial amount of necrotic elements surrounding the wound channel which call for a more aggressive surgical approach. A further justification for such a distinction is the need for antibiotic therapy, which varies according to most studies depending on the wounding mechanism, the nature of the wound, and the extent of tissue injury. The emergency physician should also be aware of the possibility of “bizarre” bullet paths resulting in occult injuries of important anatomic structures. Full article

As Canada experiences a growing number of newcomer students with refugee backgrounds, K-12 educators face challenges to meet students’ unique academic, linguistic, and psychosocial needs. This paper examines the role of educational technology (EdTech) to bridge the resource and training gap by enhancing teacher preparedness through an accessible, inclusive, and trauma-informed digital resource. This study presents a qualitative case study methodology to analyze the interactive online manual, Supporting Teachers to Address the Mental Health of Students from War Zones. The research utilizes three data sources: feedback from 110 educators through a questionnaire, observational data from 69 students from two separate pre-service teacher cohorts, and an expert evaluation report conducted by university curriculum specialists. Findings suggest that successful EdTech for refugee-background student initiatives must be trauma-informed, strength-based, culturally responsive, and designed with usability and accessibility in mind. Furthermore, collaboration between K-12 educators, researchers, and developers is vital to ensure that there is alignment of pedagogy and technology. Full article

This article reflects on the fading of personal and familial histories in the context of migration, trauma, and cultural transformation. While modern tools such as ancestry kits and digitized records promise clarity about our roots, they often fail to capture the emotional and narrative legacies that define us. Drawing on scholars such as Jan Mason, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, and Saidiya Hartman, this piece explores the silence that surrounds intergenerational memory. Whether caused by disruption, grief, or survival, silence is shown to be both an absence and a form of protection. The editorial calls for greater intentionality in preserving stories through conversation, documentation, and creative expression as a way to resist erasure and affirm identity in the face of historical neglect. In a world where wars, migration, and climate disasters are uprooting millions, we risk losing not just homes but the stories, languages, and rituals that carry who we are. This piece is a call to hold on to those fragile histories beyond the facts and dates, so that what is most human in our past is not silenced by the speed and forgetting of the present. Full article

This article analyzes responses of museums and art institutions in Israel to the events of October 7th. It stresses the public role of museums in times of crisis, and the ways that diverse curatorial choices reflect upon their institutions’ pursuits. It focuses on the case study of curatorial empathy, enacted at the Tel Aviv University Art Gallery, noting its aptness at times of crisis and trauma. The article claims that in a society that experiences both internal and external conflicts, the approach of empathy offers flexibility and openness that allow the museum to respond to public need on the one hand, and poses challenging questions on the other. Such questions are explored through the method of artistic-scientific dialogue. As contentions multiply, overlap, and contrast, the expansion of circles of identification becomes a key strategy in addressing this crisis. This essay argues that empathy is a more thoughtful and productive curatorial approach, because it emphasizes connection rather than only identity. From this perspective, the crisis that started on October 7th is not only that of war, loss, and grief, but also that of a threat to humanness under extreme angst. Full article

This literature review examines the psychological safety of journalists reporting on war, conflict, and terrorism, synthesizing contemporary research on trauma exposure, mental health outcomes, and institutional support. Using a systematic search strategy, 88 peer-reviewed studies from 2000 to 2024 were thematically analyzed. Key findings reveal elevated rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety among conflict journalists, comparable to the trauma experienced by combat veterans. Recommendations for advancing theory and research to create effective interventions to safeguard journalists’ well-being worldwide are discussed. Full article

The use of Shakespeare within warzones and at the frontline of conflict centralizes vital questions about the role of the arts during times of profound crisis, when lives and liberties are under direct attack. This article first considers Shakespearean productions linked to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, concentrating on the inaugural Ukrainian Shakespeare Festival and two documentaries that reveal how staging Shakespeare can serve humanitarian needs, promote political debate, and help individuals to process their wartime experiences. It then expands to include examples from other conflicts, including the First World War and the ongoing crisis in Gaza, and argues that warzone productions—in addition to embracing what theatre can achieve at times of conflict—also address its limitations. Warzone performances often acknowledge a gulf between representation and lived experience, between tragedy as a dramatic form and reality, which is reinforced when the individuals staging Shakespeare are also ‘actors’ in the war. This article proposes that what unites war and theatre is the power of narrative for shaping action and interpretation, and this recognition underlines the responsibilities of political and theatrical narratives at times of war, as well as the role of the critic. Full article

Background: Since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, countless forcibly displaced individuals facing not only material loss, but also deep psychological distress, have sought refuge across Europe. For those traumatized by war, the absence of a shared language in therapy can hinder healing and exacerbate suffering. While cultural diversity in psychotherapy has gained recognition, the role of native-language communication—especially from a person-centered perspective—remains underexplored. Methods: This narrative review with a thematic analysis examines whether and how psychotherapy in the mother tongue facilitates access to therapy and enhances therapeutic efficacy. Four inter-related clusters emerged: (1) the psychosocial context of trauma and displacement; (2) language as a structural gatekeeper to care (RQ1); (3) native-language therapy as a mechanism of change (RQ2); (4) potential risks such as over-identification or therapeutic mismatch (RQ2). Results: The findings suggest that native-language therapy can support the symbolic integration of trauma and foster the core conditions for healing. The implications for multilingual therapy formats, training in interpreter-mediated settings, and future research designs—including longitudinal, transnational studies—are discussed. Conclusions: In light of the current crises, language is not just a tool for access to therapy, but a pathway to psychological healing. Full article

Background: Since the election of Hamas in 2006, Gaza has endured eight major military conflicts, culminating in the ongoing 2023–2025 war, now surpassing 520 days. This protracted violence, compounded by a 17-year blockade, has resulted in the near-total collapse of Gaza’s health system. Over 49,000 deaths, widespread displacement, and the destruction of more than 60% of health infrastructure have overwhelmed both local capacity and international humanitarian response. Objectives: This narrative review aims to examine and synthesize the current literature (October 2023–April 2025) on the health crisis in Gaza, with a specific focus on identifying key themes and knowledge gaps relevant to rebuilding a sustainable health system. The review also seeks to outline strategic pathways for recovery in the context of ongoing conflict and systemic deprivation. Methods: Given the urgency and limitations of empirical data from conflict zones, a narrative review approach was adopted. Fifty-two sources—including peer-reviewed articles, editorials, reports, and correspondence—were selected through targeted searches using Medline and Google Scholar. The analysis was framed within a public health and political economy perspective, also taking health system building blocks into consideration. Results: The reviewed literature emphasizes emergency needs: trauma care, infectious disease control, and supply chain restoration. Innovations such as mobile clinics and telemedicine offer interim solutions. Gaps include limited attention to mental health (including that of health workers), local governance, and sustainable planning frameworks. Conclusions: Sustainable reconstruction requires a durable ceasefire; international stewardship aligned with local ownership; and a phased, equity-driven strategy emphasizing primary care, mental health, trauma management, and community engagement. Full article

Seoul systematically removed all graveyards that once lay within the city and its surrounding areas, a phenomenon notably distinct from urban development patterns in other parts of the world. After the Korean War, refugees and migrants poured into the devastated capital. In this postwar environment, cemeteries—traditionally sites of mourning and death—transformed into spaces of survival for displaced populations. With the military demarcation line preventing their return home, refugees began to envision their lost hometowns as “absent places”: unattainable utopias, idealized lands where all beauty resides—the very origin and endpoint of life. In contrast, Seoul, where they were forced to settle, became a “dystopia,” stripped of sanctity. Over time, however, the next generation reinterpreted this dystopia, gradually transforming it into a heterotopia. As Seoul’s urban landscape expanded, this heterotopia evolved into a Christian paradise. The second generation, having never experienced the trauma of displacement, found the newly constructed city comfortable and secure. Reinforced concrete buildings and asphalt roads became symbolic of paradise. The development of Gangnam—famously captured in Psy’s global hit “Gangnam Style”—represents a belated cultural revolution among younger generations in modern South Korea and exemplifies the transformation into a concrete paradise. Full article

Objective: Although there has been substantial research on post-traumatic stress disorder and its commonly comorbid conditions, the unique associations among these mental health symptoms and relationship adjustment have not been investigated. The purpose of this paper is to extend understanding of the associations among PTSD and relationship adjustment for female and male veterans, as well as to account for the impact of comorbid symptoms of depression and problematic alcohol use in a large sample. Method: Participants were 2325 (n = 1122 men and 1203 women) veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from a larger study exploring wartime experiences and post-deployment adjustment. Chi-square analyses and regressions tested the associations among mental health symptoms (PTSD symptom severity, depressive symptoms, and problematic alcohol use) and relationship status and adjustment. Results: For both men and women, those with probable PTSD were less likely to be in an intimate relationship than those without probable PTSD, and those in intimate relationships had lower PTSD symptom severity compared with those not in intimate relationships. However, when accounting for PTSD, depression, and problematic alcohol use simultaneously, only depression emerged as a significant negative predictor of relationship adjustment. Conclusions: Shared variance among these common post-traumatic mental health conditions comorbidities may be most responsible for PTSD’s negative association with relationship adjustment. Unique remaining variance of depression is also negatively associated with relationship adjustment. Treatment implications of these findings for individual and couple therapy post-trauma are provided. Full article