Trauma is a key concept in many fields of psychology and medicine. Different understandings of trauma are at play here, which are sometimes blurred and usually have little relation to each other. In order to provide orientation in the discussion and to contribute to a reflected use of the concept of trauma in research and practice, this book presents central - clinical, psychosocial, transgenerational and collective - trauma concepts and demonstrates their significance in selected therapeutic, institutional, research and socio-political fields of practice by means of case studies