Generating theory, biographical accounts and translation: a study of trauma and resilience

Abstract

In the research project, ‘Trauma and Resilience: A Refugee Perspective’, ¹ three samples of adult survivors of the Khmer rouge period who are doing remarkably well are asked ‘the salutogenetic question’: not why are they sick, but why are they healthy? The samples are chosen among those who (1) were exposed to the kind of events for which the Khmer Rouge period is known, but (2) did not develop a disabling post‐traumatic stress disorder. Analyses of the research participants’ biographical accounts seek to uncover, understand and explain mechanisms that these successful survivors found instrumental for their survival, in order to contribute to the study of resilience and the practice of psychosocial rehabilitation of survivors. After a discussion of methodological challenges, the article charts the route – from biographical data, through preliminary conceptual work using grounded theory microanalysis, an exegetical treatment of Khmer terms and an abductive reinterpretation – from findings to conclusions.

Keywords:

• trauma
• resilience
• Cambodia
• worldview

Acknowledgements

Informed consent was obtained from human subjects. The project has been granted permission by the Norwegian Social Science Data Services.

Notes

1. Funded by the Southern Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse‐Sørøst RHF).

2. ‘Cambodia is going through political and social transitions [and] Khmer language is also being transformed through trade, the media, civil society interactions and international politics’ (Eng, 2009, p. 1).

3. Transliterations of the Khmer words follow the simple phonetics system described in Seam and Blake (1991).

4. ‘When you find a way to save the dying cobra without lifing it, you have balanced wisdom and compassion’ (Ghosananda, 1992, pp. 33–34).

5. Victor Frankl uses a similar device in his autobiographical account of Nazi concentration camps (Frankl, 1971, p. 6).

6. In this period [Khmer Rouge regime] however, the first four actions were things they were forced to do rather than things they did.