Dolls – Transitional Objects in Times of Radical Change, War and Violence

Abstract

As anthropomorphic artifacts dolls are multifunctional and prone to ambivalence. In times of radical change and threatening transitions such as war, flight and violence, dolls can be highly significant for children and individuals as to attain psychic security. Whenever dolls are used in transitional contexts to link inner psychic processes with challenges from the outside realitiy the doll functions as transionional object. As far as the idea of the doll’s significance as transitional object is concerned these assumptions are illustrated by examples from research and documentary of children of war, mainly from World War II. To conclude: dolls are no ‘magic bullets’ in times of existential threat but might turn out as amazingly beneficial.