This article considers how the representation of events in the news can serve to shape public opinion or discourage statesmanship. Through the example of the Rwanda Genocide my argument is that representation is constitutive of the ways in which we understand the world and of the hierarchy that currently exists within mainstream media. As (Michael J. Shapiro, 1989) discussed ‘The reason for looking at representational practices in relation to texts, language and modes of interpretation is because it is through these practices that ideas about International Relations are produced’.
Through the media coverage on the Rwanda Genocide I investigate how a lack of representation can limit the study and practice of International Relations. Alan Kuperman (2000) presented the argument that ‘Western media blame the international community for not intervening quickly, but the media must share blame for not immediately recognizing the extent of the carnage and mobilizing world attention to it’. I then argue how representation can often be bias and misleading, and thus manipulate the understanding of information. During the Rwanda Genocides, the role of the radio and print in inciting killing and fuelling hate speech against the Tutsis, demonstrated the importance of controlled representation through the media. These two insights link directly to how central the concept of representation is to the study and practice of International Relations. The Western Media coverage during the Rwandan Genocides is analogous to how our understanding of conflict, war, or, more generally, the space within which international politics is deployed is always mediated by modes of representation.
Both domestic and international news media played a crucial ro...
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The analysis of the genocides that took place both in Rwanda and Sudan’s Darfur region exhibit some similarities as well as differences. The character of violence was similar in both cases, but in Rwanda the violence was more intense, participatory, and extraordinary. The violence in these two places took place in an environment that had experienced civil wars. It was a period of political transition which was further aggravated by ethnic nationalism and a conflict of ethnic populations that were living in close proximity. However, in the Rwandan genocide, the state is more centralized, compact, and effective. This is what explains the intensity and variation. The international response to these genocides through observers emphasized on using the genocide label to create domestic constituencies especially in the Rwandan case.
Since Burundi’s independence in 1962, there have been two instances of genocide: the 1972 mass killings of Hutus by the Tutsi-dominated government, and the 1993 mass killings of the Tutsis by the Hutu populace. Both of these events in Burundi received different levels of attention by the international community and the western media due to a lack of foreign governmental interest, political distraction, and an unwillingness to acknowledge the severity of these atrocities in Burundi. Interestingly, events of genocide occurring at times without these distractions received more foreign attention than those ignored due to these factors. Because of this, much of the western world is unaware of the Burundian genocide and events similar to it.
During this essay I will provide a detailed outlook on what I learned during the process of reading the book “Left to Tell” by Immaculee Ilibagiza. Immaculee Ilibagiza, came from a family that valued education. Her family were Tutsi’s, during the genocide she experienced a great ordeal of things that many could never live through, yet she survived. During the reading Immaculee depends on her faith in God to help her through the most difficult situations. I will explore what Immaculee experienced during the 1994 Rwanda genocide, such as violation of human rights, and becoming a refugee. I will then take a look further and discuss the role the media played in contributing the genocide and how this made things worse. Lastly, I will discuss who
The purpose of this paper will be to focus on the differences between the film Hotel Rwanda and the reality of the Rwandan genocide. I will seek to determine how accurately the film draws from history and how much of the film is fiction. For this essay I will first look at the history of the relations between the Hutus and the Tutsis dating back to the 1950s, so to grasp a background of the country. I will then account the events leading up to the 100 day massacre and look at how they were depicted in the film Hotel Rwanda. I will then examine how accurately Paul Rusesabagina and his efforts were displayed in the movie as well as the efforts from the U.N. This essay aims to have a comprehensive summary of the infamous tragedy as well as critically highlighting how Hollywood can alter history.
For the purpose of this article, the neighbouring countries of Rwanda and Uganda in East Africa have been chosen as case-studies. Both countries experienced different European imperialist influences as well as different decolonisation processes. Moreover, in post-independence both countries developed a saliency of indelible conflict. Conflict in both Rwanda and Uganda was not only an outcome of colonial legacies, but was also a consequence of historical circumstances and opportunistic power struggles. For this reason, this article will briefly examine the pre-colonial history of both Rwanda and Uganda, respectively. Subsequently, the dynamics of imperialism will be explored in Rwanda under Belgian ...
Human rights violations, unfortunately, have been common in all parts of the world for thousands of years. Not all abuses lead to world attention or mass causalities, but large-scale tragedies that do gain notice often involve the use of propaganda. Propaganda has often been used to promote an individual leader, political party or government’s agenda, which will often tyrannize specific groups. The definition of propaganda according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary and for this paper is, “the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person.” One of the major questions many have when investigating the causes of genocide and why average citizens often accept and at time tolerate mass violence and permit their friends and neighbors rights to be taken away. To understand this issue we must look to past examples of propaganda that demoralized and demonized entire communities that eventually lead to genocide. During the Nazi rule in Germany and the genocide in Rwanda in the mid-1990s there have been clear cases where misinformation has been used in order promote violence and repress the rights of citizens. More often than not, similar manipulation and deception techniques have been used during these periods to oppress the basic rights of groups and individuals. Germany and Rwanda both exercised comparable methods such as emotional manipulation, media and demonization of minority/weaker groups in order to harm/eliminate large sectors of the population. Overall, propaganda is often a tool used to commit massive manipulation and rationalization for large-scale human rights violations.
...against underdevelopment and marginalisation in Darfur, neither Turabi’s name not the Islamist involvement has been featured much in the media coverage of the conflict. How the media handles crises can be descriptive; “..the crisis will become front-page, top-of-the-news story. Print and television reporters, photographers and camera people flood the area.” Victims, villains and heroes are created and “the crisis dominates coverage of international news, and for a while even domestic events.” It becomes the focus of debate in congress moral guide to the nation. “The success of that morality play story line rests on the fact that it is easy to understand and appreciate.. The set piece is ideal material for television and superficial print coverage” The superficial and exaggerated press coverage is clear, many news reports have accepted propaganda and are uninspiring.
“So Rwandan history is dangerous. Like all of history, it is a record of successive struggles for power, and to a very large extent power consists in the ability to make others inhabit your story of their reality—even, as is so often the case, when that story is written in their blood.”(p.48).
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Africa has been an interesting location of conflicts. From the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea to the revolutionary conflict in Libya and Egypt, one of the greatest conflicts is the Rwandan Genocide. The Rwandan Genocide included two tribes in Rwanda: Tutsis and Hutus. Upon revenge, the Hutus massacred many Tutsis and other Hutus that supported the Tutsis. This gruesome war lasted for a 100 days. Up to this date, there have been many devastating effects on Rwanda and the global community. In addition, many people have not had many acknowledgements for the genocide but from this genocide many lessons have been learned around the world.
"Rwanda Genocide." Global Issues in Context Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Global Issues In Context. Web. 12 Apr. 2010.
Radio played an important role in the Rwandan genocide. According to Darryl Li, “[r]adio acted as a medium through which Rwandans experienced and enacted the genocide.” (Li, 2004: 24) Therefore, through a close reading of Li’s work by using examples from the film Sometimes in April, one will prove that radio played a purposive role in the Rwandan genocide.
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