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Critical Theory, Critical Praxis

In an important new article by Lama Khouri, she explores the mechanisms of necropolitics at work in the psychodynamics of international legal frameworks. Rather than a Winnicottian holding environment for establishing safety, international law is the environmental structures that sustain genocide. Khouri writes: “In exploring Winnicott’s concepts within a broader socio-political framework, we see a stark parallel between his psychological theory of a “holding environment” and the global mechanisms of international law and human rights conventions. Ideally, these international structures should function as a global holding environment, providing the necessary safety and stability for communities to develop and thrive. However, the reality, as seen through the lens of necropolitics, reveals a more sinister dynamic. Achille Mbembe’s analysis of necropolitics allows us to understand that these failures are not merely oversights but are components of a systematic approach employed by states to exert control over life and death (Mbembe, 2003). This deliberate undermining of the global holding environment, particularly evident in the handling of the Gaza genocide, exemplifies how powerful nations manipulate these structures to sustain geopolitical dominance, effectively deciding the survivability of marginalized populations. By linking Winnicott’s theory with necropolitical practices, we uncover how the international community’s negligence mirrors the catastrophic failures in the maternal-infant relationship, perpetuating cycles of trauma and resistance among Palestinians.” https://lnkd.in/gmpxTGeY

Breakdown and Refusal: A Palestinian’s Reflection on Loss and Liberation

Breakdown and Refusal: A Palestinian’s Reflection on Loss and Liberation

tandfonline.com

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