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Structural Violence in Rwanda: An Alternative Explanation for Genocide?

  • Published In: Australasian Review of African Studies, 2024, v. 45, n. 1. P. 59 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Bal, Vinod 3 of 3

Abstract

This article outlines the contribution of structural violence to the gradual outbreak of genocide in Rwanda. It examines how such violence, albeit indirect, provided permissive grounds for the egregious events that took place. Doing so challenges the popular notion that this genocide was primarily caused by ethnic hatred. Such a characterisation oversimplifies this tragic incidence of violence. Referring to theories of political opportunity and scapegoating allows an interpretation that the manipulation of the masses by political actors caused the 1994 genocide. By negating the role of primordial ethnicity, this article illuminates how ethnicity was used by elites to apportion blame to "othered" groups, namely the Tutsi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Australasian Review of African Studies. 2024/06, Vol. 45, Issue 1, p59
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:1447-8420
  • DOI:10.22160/22035184/ARAS-2024-45-1/59-77
  • Accession Number:184822611
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Australasian Review of African Studies is the property of African Studies Association of Australasia & the Pacific and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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