In this episode, we sit down with political violence expert Jeffrey Murer to examine how collective trauma shapes contemporary Hungarian politics. Dr. Murer, who brings a rare psychoanalytic perspective to international relations, guides us through Hungary's complex political landscape—from the 1919 White Terror to Viktor Orbán's current illiberal regime.
Our conversation reveals how Hungary's loss of two-thirds of its territory after World War I created what psychoanalyst Vamik Volkan calls a "chosen trauma"—a frozen mourning that successive generations refuse to work through, instead using it as the core of political identity. Murer explains how Orbán has brilliantly exploited this unresolved grief, transforming from a young democratic activist in 1989 to the architect of "illiberal democracy" who maintains electoral legitimacy while systematically dismantling civil liberties, press freedom, and judicial independence.
We explore fascinating parallels between Hungary and Turkey, examining how both countries use similar playbooks: media domination, judicial capture, and the construction of "common sense" that excludes opposition voices. The discussion also covers the rise and fall of the far-right Jobbik party, the emergence of the neo-fascist Mi Hazánk movement, and how rural-urban divides shape Hungarian politics.
Professor Murer offers both sobering analysis and surprising optimism, describing how Budapest's recent Pride march drew tens of thousands in defiance of Orbán's anti-LGBTQ policies, suggesting that joy and inclusion might be the opposition's most powerful weapons against oppressive politics. With elections approaching in 2026 and a new centrist challenger emerging, we consider whether Hungary might break free from its cycle of authoritarian capture—or whether the ghosts of Trianon will continue to haunt its democracy.
About Our Guest: Dr. Jeffrey Murer is Senior Lecturer in Collective Violence at the University of St. Andrews, where he brings a unique psychoanalytic perspective to the study of political violence and international relations. A leading expert on Hungarian politics and Central European affairs, Dr. Murer has spent decades analyzing how collective trauma and historical memory shape contemporary political movements.
His interdisciplinary approach combines political science with psychoanalytic theory, drawing particularly on the work of Vamik Volkan to understand how societies process—or fail to process—historical wounds. Dr. Murer's research explores the psychological dimensions of nationalism, the transmission of trauma across generations, and the emotional dynamics underlying authoritarian movements. He has written extensively on topics ranging from the rise of far-right parties in Hungary to the role of chosen trauma in political identity formation, making him one of the few scholars who can illuminate the unconscious forces driving today's illiberal politics.
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