An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Emotional Experience of the 1947 Partition Survivors

Abstract

This paper examines the emotional experience of the survivors of the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition by conducting an interpretative phenomenological analysis of their trauma narratives which were procured through the 1947 Partition Archive, an organization dedicated to the preservation of the stories of the victims of the separation of the two countries.  The three participants were between the ages of 5-14 years-old when they were displaced and all of them witnessed the rampant violence that characterizes the Partition. They recall the events while maintaining a distance from the distressing memories by altering the perspective of their narratives and adopting laughter as a relieving mechanism. Their cultural identity was comprised by forced migration which they express through a deeply rooted desire to return to their homes. Their needs to be further exploration of Partition narratives across diverse demographics, such as South Indian and Muslim survivors.