The Psychology of War in the 21st Century

On September 11, 2001, thousands of people personally experienced a life-threatening event; tens of thousands lost their loved ones, while millions witnessed the events live on TV. A study reported that 90% of Americans might qualify as trauma survivors according to official diagnostic criteria. The U.S. government expected mass trauma and mounted the largest mental health disaster response in history.

But the mass trauma never occurred. Most survivors reported few or no symptoms of mental illness, and an increasing number of psychologists began to argue that experts needed to rethink how the human mind responds to shock and violence.

This conference brings together historians, anthropologists, literary scholars, psychologists, and social scientists, to explore how 9/11 and the wars that followed have challenged established conceptions of trauma—and altered the way western societies and their militaries perceive and attempt to manage the psychological effects of mass violence.

The conference is part of “The New Psychology of War” project, funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark (Humanities). Two book launches and a wine reception will take place immediately after the conference and you are more than welcome to sign up for those events separately. 

Speakers
Ana Antic, professor, University of Copenhagen
Joanna Bourke, professor, Birkbeck, University of London
Anders Engberg-Pedersen, professor, University of Southern Denmark
Edgar Jones, professor, King's College London
David Kieran, associate professor, Columbus State University
Johannes Lang, senior researcher, Danish Institute for International Studies
Catherine Lutz, professor, Brown University
Amina Memon, professor, Royal Holloway, University of London
Robin May Schott, senior researcher, Danish Institute for International Studies
Nancy Sherman, professor, Georgetown University
Maja Zehfuss, professor, University of Copenhagen

Programme on Day 1: 12 October
10.00-10.15     Introduction, Johannes Lang
10.15-11.30     Psychological Trauma Post 9/11: Resilience, Complex PTSD, and the War in Ukraine, Edgar Jones, chaired by Joanna Bourke
11.30-12.15     Lunch
12.15-13.30     Stoic Wisdom: Resilience, Post-9/11 Military Culture, and the Care of Soldiers and Veterans, Nancy Sherman, chaired by Robin May Schott
13.30-13.45     Coffee break
13.45-15.00     Keeping It On The Table: Behavioral Health Lessons After Two Decades in the Era of Perpetual Conflict, David Kieran, chaired by Johannes Lang

Programme on Day 2: 13 October
09.30-10.45     War, Morality, and the Will to Ignorance, Catherine Lutz, chaired by Maja Zehfuss
10.45-11.00     Coffee break
11.00-12.15     The Martial Novel: ‘Useful Fiction,’ Persuasive Affects, and the Militarization of Literature, Anders Engberg-Pedersen, chaired by Ana Antic
12.15-13.00     Lunch
13.00-13.45     Panel Discussion

13.45-14.00    Coffee break

Book launches and wine reception
14.00-15.00    Book Launch, Resilience: Militaries and Militarization, edited by Joanna Bourke and Robin May Schott (Palgrave Macmillan, December 2022). Discussant: David Kieran 

15.00-15.15     Coffee break

15.15-16.15     Book Launch, Disgrace: Global Reflections on Sexual Violence, by Joanna Bourke (University of Chicago Press/Reaktion Books, September 2022). Discussant: Amina Memon
16.15                Wine reception

Practical information
The conference will be held in English. Participation in the Auditorium at DIIS is free of charge, but registration is required.

Livestreaming of the two book launches
Only the two book launches on Thursday afternoon will be livestreamed on the separate event sites. No registration required for livestream. You have the opportunity to ask questions online via this Slido link. Event code: diis1

Watch the livestreaming of Book Launch:Resilience: Militaries and Militarization here

Watch the livestreaming of Book launch: Disgrace - Global Reflections on Sexual Violence here

The conference was held on 12 and 13 October 2022 in DIIS Auditorium.