Large group identity and choosen trauma.

Proceeding from the identity concept, the author attempts to establish the unconscious oedipal connections between individual core identity and large group identity. Taking his bearings from Erik H. Erikson, Volkan conceives of large group identity as the subjective experience of many persons linked by a feeling of their own uniqueness. Mental representations of shared historical events - categorized as "suitable reservoirs", "choosen glories", "choosen traumas", "transgenerational transmissions" and "time collapse" - form the markers for large group identity. The author exemplifies his ideas with reference to the collective mental representation of "choosen glories" and "choosen trauma".