The Time of Nachträglichkeit and the Afterlife of Apartheid Trauma

This article explores the concept of transgenerational trauma. I draw from two distinct archives to approach the “transgenerational” in a more nuanced manner – one that moves beyond a linear past-to-present trajectory. The first of these is the Freudian archive, where I revisit the concept of Nachträglichkeit to shed light on the temporal dynamics between past and present, particularly in the affective responses of young black students during interactions with their white peers. By expanding Nachträglichkeit beyond its traditional application to early childhood experiences, I argue that this concept is equally relevant in a broader array of relational contexts. The second archive I draw from is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of South Africa. Reflecting on the TRC's public testimony process as a representation of “breaking with the past” to imagine a new future provides valuable insights into the transgenerational dynamics shaping contemporary South African society. I return to the TRC archive to focus on a pivotal moment during the opening of the TRC public hearings – a traumatic, iconic scream – to explore how this event’s temporal horizons, bridging past and future, can help us comprehend a present in which the past seemingly replays itself.