Full Description
Identity and Discourse in Contemporary Rwandan Media: Rethinking Reconciliation examines how post-genocide Rwandan media uses the language of forgiveness to support political stability while undermining dissent.
Readers will gain a comprehensive understanding of how media language shapes political ideology in post-conflict societies through detailed analysis of Rwanda's mediascape. The book contextualizes post-ethnic discourse across multiple media platforms rather than focusing solely on state-run radio, revealing the multifaceted relationships among media practice, regulation, and acceptable ideology. Building on foundational works by Alan Thompson and Gérard Prunier, the book establishes clear connections between Rwanda's nationalist project of post-ethnic identity and state-sponsored reconciliation, providing critical insights into media's role in political control and social engineering.
This book is written for scholars, researchers, and advanced students in media studies, journalism, and peace and conflict studies. It will appeal to academics studying post-conflict media, political communication, and African studies, as well as practitioners working in international development, conflict resolution, and media policy.
Contents
Introduction: "We are all Rwandans" 1. The Practical Necessity (and Limits) of Interdisciplinary Literature 2. State Influence and the Genocidal "Rift" 3. Contemporary Rwandan Radio and Theorizing Trauma 4. Catholicism, Regulation and the Post-Genocidal Turn 5. Journalism and Systems of Self-Regulation 6. Framing the Nation Through Film and Television 7. Film, Television and the Formulation of Reconciliatory Discourse 8. Realities of (De)Regulation and a New Media Geography
