A History of Rwandan Identity and Trauma: The Mythmakers' VictimsFew societies have faced the difficulties of identity building experienced by Rwanda. This book’s introduction reviews literature on the concepts of myth and trauma, and then introduces basic information on Rwanda and how it has been viewed by the outside world. Chapter One describes early Rwanda’s political and cultural development, traditional narratives, group migrations, the effects of German and later Belgian colonialism, and the introduction of Christianity. It concludes with a look at how this early history has been interpreted and reinterpreted. The second chapter discusses the end of Tutsi dominance and the 1959 Hutu Revolution. It details Hutu Power ideology, Belgian domestic politics, early acts of genocide, refugee movements, and economic and political stagnation. The text documents the development of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, its 1990 invasion, and the Arusha peace process. An account of the 1994 genocide follows. However, as this has been covered in numerous other works, descriptions are limited to key events and general patterns. The chapter ends with a review of films, books, and other publications that brought Rwanda’s plight to a worldwide audience, but that also created new myths. Chapter Three examines the country’s post-genocide reconstruction and attempts to bring justice and reconciliation through the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Tanzania and gacaca courts domestically. Rwanda’s impressive record of economic progress over the last two decades is detailed. However, prospects for democracy have diminished, as its leaders have become increasingly sensitive to criticism and fearful of renewed divisions. Descriptions of the process of developing school curriculums to explain past atrocities, the new myths it created, and their possible consequences comprise most of Chapter Four. The final chapter offers conclusions on the effects of past mythologies and the trauma they have wrought. It draws comparisons with other divided societies and their approaches to dealing with the past. These include Burundi, Ethiopia, South Africa, the United States, Taiwan, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and Singapore. An extensive bibliography of books, theses, conference papers, official documents, articles, periodicals, journals, films, websites, other media, and interviews includes translations of titles in Kinyarwanda, French, Dutch, and German. |
Other editions - View all
A History of Rwandan Identity and Trauma: The Mythmakers' Victims Randall Fegley No preview available - 2016 |
A History of Rwandan Identity and Trauma: The Mythmakers' Victims Randall Fegley No preview available - 2017 |
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Africa April Arusha atrocities Belgian Belgium Brussels Bujumbura Burundi Butare Church Colonial Belge Conflict Congo country’s cultural Dallaire David Newbury Democratic economic Éditions Education for Reconciliation ethnic European FHAO film Flemish Freedman French gacaca courts German groups Habyarimana History of Rwanda Hotel Rwanda Human Rights Hutu Ibid ICTR identity included Interahamwe International Journal July Juvénal Habyarimana Kabgayi Kigali Kigeli killed Kinyarwanda l’Afrique Centrale London Maquet Memory MINEDUC Mission murder Musée Royal Mwami myths narratives National NCDC neighboring noted official PARMEHUTU Paul Kagame Peace percent policies political population precolonial president refugees regime region René role Roméo Dallaire Royal de l’Afrique Ruanda-Urundi Ruganzu Rusesabagina Rwan Rwanda and Burundi Rwandan Genocide Rwandan history schools social society Studies survivors Tanzania teachers Teaching History Tervuren thousand tion transitional justice trauma Tribunal Tutsi Uganda Unattributed University Press victims violence Weinstein World Factbook 2014 York Yuhi Zaïre