This book offers a critical perspective of the dominant discourses
within the field of psychological trauma. It provides a challenge to
normative western constructs and unsettles assumptions about accepted
notions of universality and the nature of trauma. Traditionally the
concept of psychological trauma has been widely accepted within mental
health professions. However, in a post-positivist era, the language of
mental health is shifting and making room for alternative discourses
that include wider contextual influences, such as the impact of
sociological, cultural, and technological developments. These wider
discourses are illuminated as the authors draw together some of these
arguments into one accessible text. Rather than claim definitive answers
to the issues raised, readers are invited to engage with the discussions
presented in order to position themselves in relation to the range of
trauma discourses available.