Paternal experiences discussing genocide post-incarceration

Abstract

Well over one million Rwandans have at least one parent who was incarcerated due to crimes associated with the genocide, and many of these parents have been completing their sentences and returning to their families and communities. These formerly incarcerated individuals are carriers of memories that will be passed to their children, making their familial dialogues highly salient. Therefore, we ask: what social factors determine whether formerly incarcerated parents discuss the crimes they were convicted of with their children? Specifically, we draw upon interviews with 88 fathers who were incarcerated for genocide and analyze whether and how they say they discussed their crimes with their children. We find that over one third (N = 33) had not discussed their involvement at all; these individuals were more likely to have been convicted of more serious or stigmatized crimes, including genocidal rape, organization of the genocide, or crimes involving children. Conversely, 55 individuals said they did discuss their actions with offspring, a phenomenon that was more common among those whose sentences included community service, who were found guilty of less severe crimes, and who maintained their innocence. However, these individuals also frequently drew upon common denial and neutralization techniques. These findings point to Rwandans remembering the genocide differently among and between generational cohorts.