Remembering “Rwanda”

Abstract

The Rwandan genocide now occupies a special place in global memory. “Rwanda,” as this event is referred to in short-hand, is widely known as the genocide that could have been prevented, the genocide that was ignored. As commentators caution against contemporary situations becoming the next “Rwanda,” this article critically analyzes what “Rwanda” has come to mean for and about the world. It highlights the inherently political and culturally particular nature of this discursive construct, as well as using the Rwandan case study to open out onto a broader consideration of the ethics and politics of global memory constructs per se.