Trauma and the Politics of Fear: Europe at the Crossroads

Abstract

We live in an increasingly globalized world in which narratives of who we are and where we come from seem to pervade everyday life. In Europe the economic hardships associated with the euro-crisis is creating an emotional outburst in the countries immediately affected, raising questions in terms of national sovereignty and autonomy. In North Africa, events connected to the Arab Spring are challenging authoritarian notions of nationhood and community as young people refuse to be silenced in the affectionate mood that has captured the peninsula. Such euphoric sentiments have increasingly been followed by anger and resistance as powerful regimes have remained unwilling to change. Across the globe people are still experiencing the aftermath of 9/11, with media, politicians, military and other leaders presenting themselves as guardians of the public space, justifying terror and anti-terror activities and policies. In Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, the constant threat of explosions and other destructive devices make living with insecurities a constant challenge. In the West, many young Muslims are witnessing the direct effects of increased counter-terrorism measures, creating resentment and alienation in local political communities. Ideological certainty is declining as people disassociate themselves from conventional party-based politics and politicians are increasingly being viewed as managers of the public space rather than as carriers of hope and change.