This thesis analyzes the construction of collective memory of the role of women in the Rwandan genocide, as produced by the Rwandan government. The Rwandan government simplifies its constructions...Show moreThis thesis analyzes the construction of collective memory of the role of women in the Rwandan genocide, as produced by the Rwandan government. The Rwandan government simplifies its constructions of memory about the role of women in the genocide, generally remembering all women as victims, even though the reality is far more complex. This thesis examines two case studies of memory as produced by the government: speeches by Rwandan president Paul Kagame, and displays at the Kigali Genocide Memorial center. These will reveal the government’s motivations for their production of simplified memory, as the government can use the simplification of the role of women in the construction of both international and domestic memory, which serves a number of goals.Show less
