Article Version of Record

Twenty Years After Genocide: The Role of Psychology in the Reconciliation and Reconstruction Process in Rwanda

Author(s) / Creator(s)

McGarty, Craig

Abstract / Description

This Special Thematic Section brings together eight papers that showcase different aspects of the contribution of psychology to the processes of recovery in Rwanda following the 1994 genocide. The Section is noteworthy in part because a majority of the papers have Rwandan authors. In summarizing the contributions I make six observations about the remarkable context of the genocide and its aftermath: a) it was distinctive from previous mass violence in its intensity and character; b) it has been characterized by bystander inaction and the problems of positioning outsiders to help; c) hundreds of thousands of accused or convicted perpetrators have lived alongside survivors; d) electronic media played a profound role not only in promoting violence but also in building peace; e) Rwanda has been the site of unprecedented societal interventions with political goals that have the character and content of social psychological experiments; and f) the role of memorialization in repairing or sustaining harm needs further examination. I conclude by noting that the study of recovery is clear proof that the genocide in Rwanda, as is the case with genocides of the past, failed to achieve its aims.

Keyword(s)

reconciliation intergroup conflict psychology and history social change societal interventions Rwanda genocide

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2014-12-19

Journal title

Journal of Social and Political Psychology

Volume

2

Issue

1

Page numbers

377–386

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

McGarty, C. (2014). Twenty Years After Genocide: The Role of Psychology in the Reconciliation and Reconstruction Process in Rwanda. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 2(1), 377–386. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v2i1.449
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    McGarty, Craig
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-26T12:44:45Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-26T12:44:45Z
  • Date of first publication
    2014-12-19
  • Abstract / Description
    This Special Thematic Section brings together eight papers that showcase different aspects of the contribution of psychology to the processes of recovery in Rwanda following the 1994 genocide. The Section is noteworthy in part because a majority of the papers have Rwandan authors. In summarizing the contributions I make six observations about the remarkable context of the genocide and its aftermath: a) it was distinctive from previous mass violence in its intensity and character; b) it has been characterized by bystander inaction and the problems of positioning outsiders to help; c) hundreds of thousands of accused or convicted perpetrators have lived alongside survivors; d) electronic media played a profound role not only in promoting violence but also in building peace; e) Rwanda has been the site of unprecedented societal interventions with political goals that have the character and content of social psychological experiments; and f) the role of memorialization in repairing or sustaining harm needs further examination. I conclude by noting that the study of recovery is clear proof that the genocide in Rwanda, as is the case with genocides of the past, failed to achieve its aims.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    McGarty, C. (2014). Twenty Years After Genocide: The Role of Psychology in the Reconciliation and Reconstruction Process in Rwanda. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 2(1), 377–386. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v2i1.449
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2195-3325
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1353
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1705
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v2i1.449
  • Keyword(s)
    reconciliation
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    intergroup conflict
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    psychology and history
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    social change
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    societal interventions
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    Rwanda
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    genocide
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Twenty Years After Genocide: The Role of Psychology in the Reconciliation and Reconstruction Process in Rwanda
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    1
  • Journal title
    Journal of Social and Political Psychology
  • Page numbers
    377–386
  • Volume
    2
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record