Considerations on war, women, and dehumanized bodies

Authors

  • Mariana Bassoi Duarte Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas Sociais e da Vida de Lisboa (ISPA)
  • Allan Martins Mohr Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR).
  • Suzana Duarte Santos Mallard Instituto Diáspora em Diálogo.
  • Maria Emilia Marques Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas Sociais e da Vida de Lisboa (ISPA)

Keywords:

Refugee women, Armed conflicts, Peer support, Intercultural mediator

Abstract

This article aims to discuss the importance of peer support in the identity and subjective reconstruction of migrant and refugee women affected by armed conflicts. It presents an analysis, grounded in psychoanalysis, of an interview with a young woman from a Middle Eastern country. The participant, a survivor of severe burns, works as a Peer Support Worker in a project focused on welcoming migrants and refugees impacted by armed conflicts. Using the FANI method (Free Association Narrative Interview), which emphasizes subjectivities, the study highlights the perceptions of realities experienced by these groups. The analysis underscores the devastating impact of armed conflicts, illustrating how violence is normalized and contributes to the invisibility and discursive erasure of survivors. The narratives shared by the participant emphasize the gender inequalities exacerbated by war and the challenges faced by women in reclaiming their identities. As a result, the study highlights the potential of Peer Support in fostering survivors' autonomy and identity reorganization, underscoring the need for spaces for expression and listening as a means to challenge dehumanization.

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Author Biographies

Mariana Bassoi Duarte, Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas Sociais e da Vida de Lisboa (ISPA)

Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas Sociais e da Vida de Lisboa (ISPA)/Applied Psychology Research Center Capabilities & Inclusion (AppsyCI). Mental Health Referent MSF.

Maria Emilia Marques , Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas Sociais e da Vida de Lisboa (ISPA)

Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas Sociais e da Vida de Lisboa (ISPA)/Applied Psychology Research Center Capabilities & Inclusion (AppsyCI).

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Published

2025-03-20

How to Cite

Bassoi Duarte, M., Martins Mohr , A., Duarte Santos Mallard , S., & Marques , M. E. (2025). Considerations on war, women, and dehumanized bodies. SPPA Journal of Psychoanalysis, 32(1). Retrieved from https://revista.sppa.org.br/RPdaSPPA/article/view/1259

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