From Cultural Trauma to Nuclear War? Interpreting the Iranian-Israeli Conflict

Abstract

For the past two decades, Iran and Israel have been on the verge of war. This paper suggests that Iran and Israel are set on their doomsday path by a double-bind process of colliding cultural traumas. It shows that both parties are driven by deeply-traumatised national identities. The Iranians are attempting to escape from a victimhood complex that resulted from a series of colonial defeats. The Israeli threat to engage in a pre-emptive strike reflects deep fears of annihilation. Though generated by third parties, the reactions of one party toward the other only enflame the latter’s trauma, creating a double-bind process of escalating crisis. Unlocking of the current trajectory toward war should take a strong grip on the cultural traumas of both parties. Resolutions should create collective narratives that mitigate the national habitus of both parties.