Description
Book SynopsisFew 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 work
Trade ReviewIn A History of Rwandan Identity and Trauma Randall Fegley has produced a significant contribution to the literature on the Rwandan genocide. Through focusing on mythologies of violence, Fegley shows that Rwanda’s future may indeed depend partly on demystifying narratives about the past. Fegley’s treatment of the dilemmas involved in teaching history in Rwanda is particularly thoughtful. -- Kjell Anderson, Netherlands Institute for War, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies (NIOD)
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Myth, Trauma, and Rwanda Chapter 1. Pre-Colonial Inequalities and Colonial Assumptions Chapter 2. Hutu Power and Genocide Chapter 3. Justice and Unity? Chapter 4. Creating a Competing Mythology Chapter 5. Comparisons and Conclusions
