In what ways is the psychoanalytic concept of melancholia useful in understanding social, historical or political trauma (Essay Sample)

In what ways is the psychoanalytic concept of melancholia useful in understanding social, historical, or political trauma
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Introduction
Both trauma theory and its theoretical counterpart, melancholia, have developed as important paradigms for addressing a growing number of past events.  It is not enough to say that traumatic experiences and melancholy are both unhealthy reactions to loss; rather, it is also true that these emotions are sometimes used as ethical markers of recollection purposefully deployed throughout the humanities (Brisley, 2015). Melancholia, in Freud's understanding, is a specialised form of mourning for a relationship that has been damaged or destroyed. This form of mourning occurs when the mourner identifies with the object that was formerly loved rather than giving them up, and as a result, the mourner becomes highly self-critical (Freud, 1917). One of the most prevalent historical and social traumas is colonialism and slavery and how the two, up to this day, have formed a complex social relationship between various groups. This paper will analyse the historical post-colonialism concept through the psychoanalytic concept of melancholia. Understanding history includes understanding the interconnectedness nature of events. For instance, the end of Atlantic slavery paved the way for the colonisation of Africa. This connection signifies a relationship damaged along ethnic lines, and there was a significant need to exploit the existing differences for economic prosperity.
From the historical setting of Greek and Rome, othering was a common phenomenon whether it was based along class or ethnic lines. With improved interaction with other "worlds" and discovering other cultures, race became the S.I. unit of othering. The practice of labelling some people or groups as "other" and implying that they do not meet the expectations of a certain social group is an example of the phenomenon known as "othering." It has an effect on people's perceptions and how they behave toward others, both in terms of who belongs to the "in-group" and who is seen to be part of the "out-group." When discussing post-colonialism, the term "othering" refers to presenting and classifying the indigenous people colonised as being on a lower level than their European counterparts (Dervin, 2016). This marks the onset of a severed relationship that is awkward and depressing when viewed from a social lens.
Important global power intersections that perpetuate a hierarchical international relations order include imperialism, sex, ethnic group, and income, among other criteria. The accumulation of power, as opposed to the equitable distribution of power among various persons and governments, is the foundation of this hierarchy. Post-colonialists believe that European colonialism and imperialism were the primary factors that contributed to the formation of Western viewpoints of non-Westerners (Eng & Han, 2003). Most often in writing but occasionally in conversation, non-Western governments and their people were labeled "other," set apart from and often pitted against the West. This was done in both written and verbal forms. As a consequence of this, they were helpful to European powers in justifying their colonial rule over other peoples by arguing that it was necessary for the advancement of civilisation.
Post-colonial theory is used as a lens when looking at critical issues in international relations since it focuses on power discourses. Classical theories of international relations, such as liberalism and realism, are grounded in a fact-based investigation, but this methodology frees academics to think about the world and its problems in novel ways. According to post-colonial theory, in order to know how global class relations first emerged and why they persist today, one must first comprehend why they seem to be the norm. This approach reveals how prevalent Western preconceptions of non-Western governments and communities as hyper-masculine, aggressive, effeminate, and primitive are in worldwide images of poverty. In a nutshell, the overarching thesis of post-colonialism is that it is very difficult to alleviate global poverty and inequality because Western leaders are unable to get beyond their biases and address the fundamental global structural concerns that are the primary drivers of inequality (Lawson and Shilliam, 2010). As a consequence, proposed remedies usually emphasise supporting a less developed state rather than directly addressing the fundamental factors that contribute to global inequality.
Postcolonialism offers a more nuanced and multifaceted perspective on core concepts like power, state, and security than standard theoretical frameworks. For instance, European countries imposed the idea of sovereignty and the modern state onto the rest of the world's colonial territories. Realists and liberals, on the other hand, often accept it as a given in their research. Postcolonialism explains how race plays a role in historical development, which runs counter to the Marxist concept that economic struggle is the driving force behind historical progress (Swartz, 2018). Only class studies fail to investigate the relationship between economic marginalisation and the characterisation of "Third World" countries as "backward, primitive, or non-rational." Post-colonial scholars do not subscribe to the view that the international system is anarchical as conventional theories of international relations do. Colonialism and imperialism made it possible for Western nations to maintain their cultural, economic, and political superiority over the rest of the world for an extended period.
Post-colonialism demonstrates, among other things, how Western fears are reflected in opinions of the Islamic faith and the people who practice it. The ramifications of the basic cultural and social shifts accompanying a more integrated global economy came to light with the growth of a more politically minded interpretation of Islam and the Islamic Revolution in Iran. On the other hand, several prominent politicians and academics in the West are of the opinion that the resurgence represents a danger to Western culture and portends a "clash of civilisations." Western cinema, media, and academic elites have a flawed lens or framework through which they perceive Arab and Muslim history and culture (Said, 2016). This leads to the development of "Orientalism," which describes how it contributes to the formation of a unique concept of "the Orient" from a Western point of view and attributes to "the Orient" and its people traits that are in contrast to the way of life practised in the West (Said, 2016). These descriptors are sometimes used interchangeably. Compare this with the positive attributes typically associated with the West, such as reason, modernity, civilisation, and masculinity. Quite a few post-colonial scholars have brought attention to the fact that orientalist ideas still strongly influence western imagery. Representations and perceptions are highly valued by post-colonial theorists due to the fact that they shape what is considered normal or rational.
There is a need to question conventional beliefs about why global class relations seem to be the norm better to understand their beginnings and continued existence. Using this strategy, we see how non-Western governments and society commonly utilize images and stories to depict people living in poverty across the world as hyper-masculine, effeminate, violent, primitive, and immature. In a nutshell, post-colonialism contends that Western lawmakers' preconceived notions about other people's cultures and ways of life get in the way of tackling the root causes of inequality and poverty, such as the unequal distribution of wealth throughout the world. As a consequence, many proposed solutions concentrate only on providing assistance to a country that is said to be developing rather than addressing the underlying factors that contribute to the global disparity.
Postcolonialism is an academic discipline that investigates the processes by which fundamental concepts like power and security operations serve to maintain the status quo. For instance, European powers were responsible for imposing on the rest of the globe the concept of sovereignty as well as the characteristics of the modern state. However, most scholars who study liberalism and realism do not give this theory the weight it deserves. Furthermore, post-colonialism rejects Marx's thesis that class struggle is the major engine of historical change, arguing that racial conflict is the driving force behind historical transformation (Sinha and Varma, 2015). As the Cold War was going on, referring to the so-called "Third World" as "primitive," "backward," or "irrational" was linked to persistent economic disadvantage (Khanna, 2003). Post-colonial researchers assert that the international system is hierarchical, in contrast to the view held by traditional theories of international relations, which hold that the system is chaotic. Western hegemony in the political, economic, and cultural arenas began with colonialism and imperialism and has persisted to this day as a defining feature of international affairs.
Throughout the years, women of color have consistently been discriminated against, regardless of the socioeconomic level to which they belong. As an example, it clarifies the discrepancies in the experiences of "heteropatriarchy" among white and nonwhite women in the United States. When white males have all the power in a society, it is called a heteropatriarchy (Layton, 2020, p. 21). When comparing women of different races and et...