Analyzes some of the cultural assumptions underlying the diagnosis and discussion of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and questions whether PTSD captures the fundamental psychological disturbance after any given trauma. Three questions reveal some of the underlying assumptions contained within the diagnostic category of PTSD: (1) to what extent does this concept imply a notion of individuality, which has its origins in Western culture but may not be universal; (2) to what extent does this concept emphasize similarities, not differences, in responses to trauma among different cultural groups; and (3) are Western treatment strategies the best approach to adopt in non-Western societies? An alternative framework conceptualizes the effects of trauma in the context of social, political, and cultural realities rather than in purely individual terms. The most fundamental principal under this model is that recovery from trauma is intrinsically linked to reconstruction of social and economic networks, cultural institutions, and respect for human rights.
