University Events Calendar

The lecture will begin by defining the concept of "collective victimhood", its role as a "chosen trauma", and its four behavioral manifestations.

The psychological benefits of adopting victim’s identity and psychological processes of "moral typecasting" that facilitate the adoption of colletive victimhood will be discussed. Subsequently, the presentation will address the phenomenon of "competitive vicitmhood" and its detrimental effects on intergroup conflict. On this background the effects of denial of the adversary’s victimization, and social psychological research that has demonstrated how collective and competitive victimhood may be ameliorated will be centered on. This amelioration of collective victimhood factilitates intergroup reconciliation.

In a final part the socio-cultural analysis of "cultures" of ‘honor’, ‘dignity’ and ‘victimhood’ will be presented.