Description
Traumatic events, such as war and structural violence, can initiate a form of 'trauma time' that challenges linear homogeneous time. This paper engages with the concept of 'trauma time' proposed by Jenny Edkins, which inviting us to explore the potential benefits of non-linear analysis of entangled phenomena. I examine the unique insights offered by non-linear tracking analysis into the dynamics of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). This paper aims to unpack the complex relationship between time, trauma, and memory. Additionally, I illustrate how non-linear tracking provides alternative insights into GBV by examining the contexts of the UK/Scotland and Afghanistan. Contemporary discourses about transgender rights issues in the UK/Scotland reveal hidden connections with historical violence against women in the British Empire. The discussions on Afghan women are linked to multiple dimensions of imperial legacies. Both revolve around the question of saving 'women,' which brings about contestation and affective resonances from the past. By disrupting linear narratives, the way social actors encircle trauma unveils the multifaceted politics of gender-based violence. Non-linear tracking helps us analyse these dynamics, with a focus on how past trauma bleeds into the present and future.
