Profane research versus researching the profane: commentary on Başoğlu (2009).
Torture survivors, therapists, and society look to behavioral science for help understanding the traumatization, needs, and treatment of torture survivors. Any research of torture can and possibly will be used by torturers to refine their abuse of prisoners. It is difficult but necessary to discern profane research from therapeutic research of a profane activity. M. Başoğlu's (2009) study of the traumatization of torture survivors is enormously helpful to clinicians who must heal and to policymakers who must understand the psychological toll of torture.
Miles
Steven H
SH
Center for Bioethics and Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, MN, USA. Miles001@umn.edu
D006801:Humans; D024382:Professional Role; D012106:Research; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D014104:Torture