Epistemology, Power, Discourse, Truth and Groups

Coombe, Paul

doi:10.1177/0533316417725837

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 19 publications

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“…If so, relevant group situations or configurations may not only reignite past cultural wounds and their corresponding affective states or motives buried in the social unconscious (Volkan, 2001), they may recreate a more distal and brutal past, which may be acted out interpersonally within groups. Envisaging silencing as a discursive act links the social unconscious to the political (Combe, 2017). If the ultimate power is the power to define, when black people are silenced in groups, they/we are not only stripped of their/our voice, they/we are stripped of power and kept in subservience.…”

Section: Concluding Thoughtsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Silencing, power and racial trauma in groups

Kinouani¹

2020

Group Analysis

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As a black woman I have found myself in various settings where as the only person of colour, speaking of my experience of the world has led to hostility, occasionally to violence, and, more frequently to disorientating silencing attempts. As a therapist working specifically with people of colour, clients have approached me, ashamed, often terrified, describing these familiar walls of impenetrable defensiveness bolstered by gagging manoeuvers their voices meet, when attempting to articulate racism within all social structures. This collective experience of silencing, as illustrated by Eddo-Lodge’s words, is of critical significance for group processes and social dynamics and thus group work practice. This article aims to illuminate the functions of racism related silencing in groups and to offer some formulations of the same in the hope of supporting the profession to make space for those whose voices and perspectives it is still by and large to integrate. This article will present my reflections on silence, silencing and power in groups, primarily from a black perspective. It will mainly engage with formulations and theoretical explorations of racialized dynamics personally experienced, witnessed or reported to me. It will argue that silencing is a mechanism that protects the white psychic equilibrium and the racially stratified social order. It will be further posited that acts of racial silencing as remnants of intergenerational trauma, reproduce and are borne out of power relations and, that they may be enacted within group analytic therapy.

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Section: Concluding Thoughtsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Silencing, power and racial trauma in groups

Kinouani¹

2020

Group Analysis

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Comment on ‘Epistemology, Power, Discourse, Truth and Groups’ by Paul Coombe

Penna¹

2017

Group Analysis

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The publishing of the NILGA's book From Psychoanalysis to Group Analysis: the pioneering work of Trigant Burrow by the Italians Edi Pertegato and Giorgio Pertegato, in 2013, was a major breakthrough and acknowledgement of the importance of Burrow as an outstanding pioneer of the psychoanalytic and group analytic field. After positive book reviews and paper presentations it seems that Burrow's work has left behind the ostracism to slowly assume a deserved role in our field. My words might seem optimistic, regarding the number of years that his contributions were ignored, censored and excluded (Pertegato and Pertegato, 2013), mainly because ignorance about his work still remains, especially in the psychoanalytic milieu. However, it is time to start integrating his findings into the psychoanalytic and group analytic frameworks, while aiming to understand not only the historical roots and the 'dominant analytic establishment' of our profession, but also to broaden the perspectives of its field. Coombe's article brings a justified surprise not only on the importance of Burrow's writings for the foundations of psychoanalysis and group analysis but also on its oblivion. Having as background the Pertegato's book, Coombe undertakes a discussion on epistemology, power, discourse, knowledge, truth and groups in human and social sciences. Indeed, the contact with the destiny of Burrow's work triggers readership's emotions that range from indignation to reflection. Here lies one of the merits of Coombe's article because-without failing to recognize Burrow's pioneering contributions-it allows to 725838G AQ0010.

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Epistemology, Power, Discourse, Truth and Groups

Cited by 2 publications

References 19 publications

Silencing, power and racial trauma in groups

Silencing, power and racial trauma in groups

Comment on ‘Epistemology, Power, Discourse, Truth and Groups’ by Paul Coombe

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