Bridging the Gap: Trauma as the Missing Link in Building Equitable Societies

• In Event: 30260 - Joint Roundtables: Section on Social Psychology and Section on Sociology of Emotions
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 3: Self and Identity

Abstract

Sociology diagnoses social problems: economic divides, political polarization, racial and gender inequalities, yet often neglects the psychological and emotional wounds sustaining these inequities. This paper argues that trauma, both individual and collective, must be integrated into sociological frameworks to develop sustainable solutions. Without addressing trauma's role in shaping structures, policies, and relationships, efforts to disrupt inequities remain incomplete.

Drawing from qualitative research with resettled refugees, this paper examines how trauma influences identity, social cohesion, and political engagement in displaced communities. It explores how unresolved historical and structural trauma sustains contemporary inequities, limiting the effectiveness of policy interventions and social programs. Using an anti-colonial lens, this study critiques Western sociology’s reduction of trauma to an individual psychological issue rather than a collective sociopolitical condition.

By integrating trauma-informed approaches, this paper advocates for a solutions-oriented sociology, one that not only describes oppression but discusses transformation. It explores trauma: community-based interventions, and participatory research methodologies as pathways to justice and inclusion. To truly put sociology to work for equity, we must acknowledge trauma as a foundational force in social life and a key determinant of structural change.

Author

• Shahd Alasaly, University of South Florida