Traumatism and the Changing of Temporal Figurations

The recent consolidation of trauma studies parallels the growth of memory studies. Tracing their entwined genealogy reveals a focus on the (same) tragic events. This essay focuses on how their histories and entwinements reflect and are constrained by particular and changing notions of temporality and risk. Focusing on the link of traumata and memories, exemplified in the concepts of post-traumatic stress disorder and cultural trauma, I shall argue that during the last two decades traumatic memories hae been less about the past (or the present) than primarily political-cultural interventions aimed at pre-empting fears, anxieties, and uncertainties in and for the future.