Considers the variations in human response to widespread political violence, with special attention to an account of the experiences of Bosnian refugees. The therapeutic and adaptive effects of forgetting traumatic experiences need not be considered psychopathological. There also may be gender and generational differences in these memory processes: males and children tend not to think about past traumas, whereas women continue to recall these events. Moreover, while survivors cannot believe such acts of extreme violence are happening, perpetrators are preparing for another round. Matters are not helped by the fact that survivors often are doubted and mistrusted. A critical area for future study is the extraordinary resilience displayed by refugees enduring and fleeing political violence. At the same time, the ever-increasing tide of refugees has required an increasing number of treatment centers. It is incumbent on the mental health community not only to treat the victims of severe trauma but alsoto speak out against violence and genocide.
