The Emigre Generation and Psychological Trauma.

HBPM1
by HBPM1
09-Nov-2007
 

To deny that the emigre generation of Iranians following the 1979 Revolution suffered from psychological trauma by virtue of suddenly finding themselves and their families forced to survive and adapt to a totally unfamiliar and in many cases unfriendly environment, is disingenuous at best. I would be curious to know if any authoritative study or analysis has been conducted by psychologists and sociologists on this phenomenon and what the result of those studies have been: how have Iranian immigrants and their immediate families and subsequent generations been impacted by the sudden change in their environment, how have they dealt with the trauma they have experienced, to what extent has their "Iranian-ness" been compromised and in what manner, what positive and negative trends have been witnessed, and what lessons can be learned to mitigate this trauma in newer waves of immigrants, etc., etc., etc.? Certainly an interesting Ph.D. dissertation topic (particularly with approximately 30 years of available empirical data now available to us) if the subject matter has not yet been properly addressed.

Balatarin
Share/Save/Bookmark

Recently by HBPM1CommentsDate
Marketing Advice To Brokers and Realtors
1
Oct 09, 2010
Can you afford to die?
1
Jul 18, 2010
Beware the Bonyad Mostazafan: Den of Thieves
3
Apr 24, 2010
more from HBPM1
 
default

Historical Trauma: The

by Anonymous4569823634 (not verified) on Sun Nov 11, 2007 08:46 PM PST

Historical Trauma: The collective emotional and psychological injury both over the life span and across generations, resulting from a cataclysmic history of genocide.

This applies to Iran where we've had multigenerational socio political genocide.

Great research topic. I found nothing relevent to Iran.


  •  
default

Truth be told...

by JP (not verified) on Sat Nov 10, 2007 10:15 PM PST

I have lived 25 years in the UK and US and the first 17 years of my life in Iran.
About 10 years ago I went back to visit, the people I knew- like family were mosyly the same ,the ones I didn't know were all ajeeb, I felt like they were all pretending and chakhan mikardan! and sar man va digaran ra kolah migzashtan!
Kheili moteassef shodam, hameh chiz avaz shodeh bood. Shayad ham man kheili avaz shodeham! Mardom kolan bad shodeh boodand .... digar hich ja khaneh man nabood.
(dar zemn pedar va madarmham dar in salha dar iran foat kardand)
Baz ham amrica kheili bishtar ( beh dalil khanevadeham -hamsar o bacheha-) khaneham hast ta iran.
Digar bar nagashtam taa keh khateraatam hamanjoor khoob baghi bemanad.....
Moteassefam.


  •  
default

Unresolved Historical Trauma

by 30something (not verified) on Sat Nov 10, 2007 07:35 PM PST

I remember hearing about a documented psychological syndrome called "unresolved historical trauma". I think it has been documented in the post-Holacaust Jewish community and in the Native American community. I think there is much that would be fruitful in this research with regard to the Iranian American community.


  •  
default

I've wondered about this so

by PT (not verified) on Sat Nov 10, 2007 06:39 PM PST

I've wondered about this so many times. What I have noticed is that the children who left Iran have become accademically and professionally successful (relatively). But PTSD, depression, cutting, bulimia, various anxiety issues etc remains in a large number of them. In some ways this is worse for young men who left Iran illegally during the war and without their families. This is a very lost generation. Successful in some ways, but emotionally and psychologically LOST. This is a very intereting topic. I have spoken to somebody and we plan on starting an informal debate/study/paper about it. If you are interested, please leave some info where I could email you.


  •  
Sasha

Google scholar..........

by Sasha on Sat Nov 10, 2007 04:43 PM PST

 I recommend a search on google scholar in which you can enter Iranian Diaspora to find information of interest to you.

 

Happy Searching, :o)

Natalia (real name)


  •  
default

PTSD

by ptsd (not verified) on Sat Nov 10, 2007 07:37 AM PST

All of this has resulted in PTSD and panic attacks for me. In addition to all you talk about.


  •  
default

I totally agree!

by Kamangir on Sat Nov 10, 2007 06:17 AM PST

I totally agree with this fact. I have lived through it myself and have lived in several countries and have never felt at home. I left Iran when I was 11 yeras old and I'm 32, and still haven't found my place. I wish going back to iran, but again, our country is not a normal state. I think we Persians despite our ease and flexibility in becoming part of other societies, are very much attached to our homeland. This is because despite its government, Iranians deep inside are good people, Iran is a rich country both geografically and culturaly. I managed to visit Iran couple of yeras ago after so many years and it was a very strange feeling, it was just like going back home, my home. I know that over there I won't feel the emptiness I feel here, although there're other issues as well. We Iranians are by nature very proud people. I have always been very sensitive to racism and its different faces and as I grow older I realize that Iran is ultimately where I should be. Other friends, do not like anything about Iran. I know i will never feel at home outside Iran. I know I will go back for good, someday.


  •