The Intersection of National Identity and Collective Trauma
My Understanding of Israel
The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, by Martin Bunton was a timely and informative read. As the Israeli-Hamas war continues, this short volume helped me understand the complexity of how two peoples came to be at violent odds with one another. Before reading this book, I knew Israel became a nation in 1948, continues to fight for the right to exist, and has become more secular. My ideas stem from the Bible, news reports, and from friends visiting the region. I did not understand the conflict in terms of the ever changing division of land and was surprised that 1897 is designated as the year the conflict began.[1] I naively thought this conflict was primarily about religious differences and ancient boundaries. As the preface indicates the focus of the book is understanding, “…the stubborn core of conflict, the mutually exclusive territorial claims of two competing nationalisms, Palestinian and Israeli.”[2] The history of foreign intervention and governance makes this situation very complex. World markets, wars, capitalism, and faith play into it all. The economic shifts that Karl Polanyi recognized within the social history of the nineteenth century, as the commodification of land, labor, and money, has contributed in no small measure to the last 125-years of conflict in Palestine.[3] The trauma and injustice experienced by both sides breaks my heart. The region and its people have experienced a long and devastating history of suffering. Will this conflict ever end? I’m holding hope.
New Understanding: Nationalism, Identity, and Trauma
While Bunton underscores the role nationalism plays in understanding the conflict, I’m also beginning to conceptualize it not only in terms of a fight for land, but for identity. It’s a messy and tragic combination with land providing the needed validation and the means of survival for two peoples longing for recognition, acceptance, and homeland. The conflict is a cry for belonging and security.
In Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment, author Francis Fukuyama offered a succinct definition of nationalism, “Nationalism is a doctrine that political borders ought to correspond to cultural communities, with culture defined largely by shared language.”[4] With language the medium of story and history, nationalistic ideas can sound more like building walls instead of bridges and looking out for self-interest rather than loving one’s neighbor. This feels threatening to me, especially when exclusion or harm to others is the end result. While I don’t condone violent attacks, I can understand what motivates nationalistic thinking when one considers all that has been lost on both sides. Fukuyama asserts, “Demand for recognition of one’s identity is a master concept that unifies much of what is going on in world politics today.”[5] Palestinians and Israeli’s both seek this recognition. The demand for recognition is a powerful force that can blind us to the humanity and dignity of others, creating a power dynamic of “us” versus “them.”
Fukuyama’s definition of nationalism has me wondering about other shared experiences beyond language and nationalism. The Jewish and Palestinian people share similar traumatic histories of being ruled by foreign governments, oppression, displacement, loss of property and possessions, inadequate food and shelter, the struggle to maintain their own unique identity and culture, the common tragedies of war, and the loss of loved ones. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict represents the intersection of struggle for national identity and collective trauma. Both sides rightfully needing validation, understanding, and healing.
My Navigation Tools: Listening and Hope
When I think of this conflict, I can’t help but wonder about the individual stories of those living through these unbearably traumatic times. Stories matter. Listening to and validating the experiences of others is an impactful way to show love and compassion to our neighbor, which includes those who may be viewed as enemies. In his book The Identity Trap, Yascha Mounk noted how the rejection of hope leads to the belief that, “… members of different identity groups will never be able to understand one another.”[6] This is tragic. Sharing stories and listening to understand breaks down the barriers between us. To borrow from Parker Palmer, “… the more we know about another’s story, the harder it is to hate or harm that person.”[7]
History has been shaped by nations at war, between people vying for land and the desire to provide for or protect themselves. We all want to feel safe. We all want a place to call home. What would it take to sit and listen to the stories of others? Can we recognize our common and worthy desires? Are we willing to work towards healing each other?
Holding Hope
I’m so glad God’s story is one of restoration and reconciliation. We get to be part of the story. The world needs leaders who are willing to listen to understand and validate the stories of trauma, loss, and grief before and while seeking solutions to complex problems.
This is the promise upon which my hope rests,
“He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” Isaiah 2:4
Lord, teach us your ways. Let us walk in your light, loving our neighbor, holding space for stories of pain and trauma, as we continue to pray for the reconciliation of all humanity to yourself and to one another.
[1] Martin Bunton, The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2013), 2.
[2] Bunton, The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, xvi.
[3] Karl Polanyi, The Great Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of Our Time (Boston: Beacon Press, 1944, 1957, 2001), 257.
[4] Francis Fukuyama, Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment (New York: Picador, 2018), 62.
[5] Fukuyama, Identity, xv.
[6] Yascha Mounk, The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time (New York: Penguin Press, 2023), 135.
[7] Parker Palmer, A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward the Undivided Life (San Francisco, CA, 2004), 123.
Note: The following article was helpful in understanding collective trauma. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6095989/
About the Author
Jenny Dooley
Jenny served as a missionary in Southeast Asia for 28 years. She currently resides in Gig Harbor, Washington, where she works as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Spiritual Director in private practice with her husband, Eric. Jenny loves to listen and behold the image of God in others. She enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family which include 5 amazing adult children, 3 awesome sons-in-law, a beautiful daughter-in-law, and 8 delightful grandchildren.15 responses to “The Intersection of National Identity and Collective Trauma”
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I appreciate your focus on listening and hope; both seem like good steps in the right direction. As with so many international/inter-ethnic conflicts, it seems like there could be peaceful coexistence between average people on both sides and that would go a long way to calm the political divisions and violence. Thanks for your post.
Kim,
Thanks for your response. I would love to be a bug on the wall of a negotiation meeting between two nations in conflict just to see how well they are listening to each other. I imagine those meetings are more about what each side wants than what is actually happening to the people who are suffering.
Jenny, I thought it was interesting that you connected Fukuyama’s book and his discussion on how nationalist identities are shaped. I thought about Fukuyama’s thesis while reading Bunton’s historical overview of how things came to be in the early part of the twentieth century. Looking at Palestinian peoples, Bunton provides more context for how their modern-day identity seems to have been shaped (a history I was not too familiar with until more recently). For Bunton, according to the “pro-Zionist” policies of the British government in the early 1900’s, Arab leaders began to see Zionism as “the chief factor in the articulation of a Palestinian Arab nationalist identity.” (Bunton, The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, Kindle version, 49 of 178). This sounds like Fukuyama’s description of how people develop an identity around who they are NOT.
Hi Travis,
That is a good point. Not only can our own narratives get distorted in our own brains, but they are interpreted differently by others. I remember a time when I shared a part of my story to a group of women and then had it come back to me so distorted I couldn’t figure out who the woman was talking about. We humans tend to make up a lot of stories on very little information without question. Checking biases, prejudices, and facts is critical.
Hi Jennie,
This was a great response to the book. I especially like you bringing in Fukuyama and Identity.
One of the deficiencies of the book is its lack of addressing the religious identities of the parties concerned.
One of the things I collect (PDFs and such) focus on adding religion to the international relations dialog, here is one. Religion and Mediation: The Role of Faith-Based Actors in International Conflict Resolution, Ayse Kadayifci, 2009, International Negotiation.
This is an older article that is the tip of the iceberg for adding religion and its “street cred” in speaking into conflict resolution.
On of the text I use in my class is “Peace on Earth, The role of Religion in Peace and Conflict Studies” edited by Thomas Matyok (a Hungarian).
He was also a US Army officer in the my Army specialty called civil affairs.
Especially in the Middle East, there are growing numbers of religious authors who are dusting off their paper’s and updating them to include current events.
Shalom…
Hi Russell,
Thank you for your response. I noticed how little was discussed about religion as well, which helped me see the conflict as less about religion and more about land and identity. I’ll check out the articles. Thank you!
Jenny, what a thoughtful and insightful post! I especially appreciated your comment, “The Palestinian-Israeli conflict represents the intersection of struggle for national identity and collective trauma. Both sides rightfully needing validation, understanding, and healing.” This is often the case for most deep conflict among nations, families, individuals. In your work as a mental health counselor and as a spiritual director and missionary, do you find that simply listening, hearing and validating the story of another is enough or do you find they need the one(s) who has wronged them to hear and validate their story/feelings in order for healing to take place?
Hi Kally, Thank you for your response and the question. In answer to the first part, yes and it takes a lot of listening, validating, and telling. One telling of a traumatic story is a start but not sufficient or the end goal. Even after significant healing takes place some parts of the story can still be triggered and need to be told again. Time is needed to organize and tell the story in a coherent and meaningful way that leads to healing. Consistent empathetic responses are also necessary. I hear a lot of stories on repeat. The second part of your question is rather nuanced. Yes, it is can be very helpful, it can also do more damage when the person or organization that has wronged you is not willing, available, ready to empathize, validate your experience, sincerely apologize, and seek to make amends. Sometimes the deep need for justice and punishment get in the way of healing. Reconciliation is not always possible or wise, but healing is. Of course, I am speaking of an individual’s story. But I still believe that listening to understand opens new ways of being and understanding others, even world events, and empathy moves us to compassionate action.
Hi Kally, Thank you for your response and the question. In answer to the first part, yes and it takes a lot of listening, validating, and telling. One telling of a traumatic story is a start but not sufficient or the end goal. Even after significant healing takes place some parts of the story can still be triggered and need to be told again. Time is needed to organize and tell the story in a coherent and meaningful way that leads to healing. Consistent empathetic responses are also necessary. I hear a lot of stories on repeat. The second part of your question is rather nuanced. Yes, it is can be very helpful, it can also do more damage when the person or organization that has done the wrong is not willing, available, ready to empathize, validate your experience, sincerely apologize, and seek to make amends. Sometimes the deep need for justice and punishment gets in the way of healing. Reconciliation is not always possible or wise, but healing is. Of course, I am speaking of an individual’s story. But I still believe that listening to understand opens new ways of being and understanding others, even world events, and empathy moves us to compassionate action.
Jenny, you did a fabulous job weaving in our previous readings on identity and ideologies into your reflections. I am impressed!
This issue is so loaded with centuries of pain- you are right to note in your summary in the end that we have to create space for the trauma and injury, or we will never be able to move on. Any thoughts on how to do that at a national level? It is overwhelming for me to consider.
Hi Jennifer,
I keep thinking about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa following Apartheid. think that is the clearest example we have on a national level.
Jenny,
As always you bring your counselor’s heart into the dialogue at hand. The trauma of any nation in the midst of turmoil and war is heartbreaking. When we focus on the need for God’s ability to heal and His deep love for those that are lost, it changes the conversation.
Thank you for your ending prayer as well.
Hi Esther,
Our reading has certainly helped me to be better informed as does the suffering I hear about from a friend trying to get aid into Gaza and the stories of the hostage’s families. Bearing witness to the pain on both sides is a beginning as is lament. It has felt so far removed from my daily life until I was visiting Victoria BC recently and watched the Palestinian Protest/Parade in the downtown area. Their songs of lament and hope were powerful. I was also keenly aware of how unsafe the Jewish community is feeling due to these protests. That’s the closest I’ve come to the conflict. It certainly heightened my awareness of the pain both sides experience and the mutual longing to be safe.
Great posts, I loved how you connected this book with Fukuyama’s, I was like, “why didn’t I think of that?” National dignity and identity is most certainly at play between these two people groups. Great posts!
Thanks Adam, I wasn’t sure how much to include from past readings given the questions. Old habits die hard:)