Few 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.
General
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