Are the effects of genocide on psychological well-being limited to communities under direct violence?

Paper Summary

In her paper Asrar will focus on her PhD which explores the community psychological factors behind the surge in intra-communal violence and crime among the '48-colonised Palestinian community (CPC). This phenomenon, which emerged two decades ago, has been escalating ever since. It has been largely interpreted within individualistic European frameworks, which has resulted in further criminalisation and pathologisation of the community. Asrar’s PhD project aims to decolonise research on the phenomenon by critically applying psychoanalytic theory in exploring how the community’s unique lived experiences and the psychological legacy were reflected in -and manifested through- the community's collective behaviour during the first year of the genocidal war on Gaza.

In the discussion there will be an opportunity to further reflect on the probable psychological impact of the ongoing genocide in Gaza on Palestinians in the CPC and elsewhere outside Gaza.

About the speaker

Asrar Kayyal is a Palestinian, trained educational psychologist. Currently she is a PhD candidate at the University of Brighton examining violence and crime from decolonial psychoanalytical perspective. She trained and practised as an educational psychologist in both private and public services since 2018 and has worked with the Palestinian community who were colonised by the formation of Israel in 1948, and with the Palestinian community in East Jerusalem.

*If you are a psychotherapist or counsellor residing in an active conflict zone, you are eligible to attend this event free of charge (regardless of whether you are a bpf member or not). Please email events@bpf-psychotherapy to enquire about a ticket.