3 - Theorizing Post-conflict Peace Communication: Can Rwandan Women’s Narratives of Sexual Violence Become the Point of Departure for Research?
Corresponding Author(s) : Eddah Mutua-Kombo
Africa Media Review,
Vol. 17 No. 1-2 (2009): Africa Media Review, Volume 17, no 1 & 2, 2009
Abstract
Francis Nyamnjoh asserts that ‘African context and experience should contribute towards theory-building’ (See Wasserman 2009:286). To what extent is this statement relevant to post-conflict peace communication research? This article advances an argument that the experiences of Rwandan women during and after the 1994 genocide can help us to develop a theory of post-conflict peace communication. The epistemic implication of this argument is that how we
understand communication in post-conflict settings is grounded in the embodiment of lived experiences. To develop a valuable theory that explains this reality is to bring to the forefront the voices of those who have lived the experience. The author uses Rwandan women’s narratives of sexual violence to illustrate the epistemic implications of their experiences in optimizing the understanding of post-conflict peace communication.
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- Boafo, K. and George, N., eds., 1992, Communication Research in Africa: Issues and Perspectives,
- Nairobi: African Council for Communication Education (ACCE).
- Jelaca, D., 2009, ‘Trauma in Spaces’, A conference paper presented at the Interna- tional Congress on Qualitative Inquiry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Cham- pagne, May 20-23, 2009.
- Lal, J., 1999, ‘Situating Locations: The Politics of Self, Identity and the Living and Writing the Text’, in Sharlene Hesse-Biber, Christina Gilmartine & Robin Lydenberg, eds., Feminist Approaches to Theory and Methodology: An Inter- disciplinary Reader (pp. 100-137). New York: Oxford University
- Press.
- Madison, S., 2005, Critical Ethnography: Method, Ethics and Performance. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
- M’Bayo, R. and Nwanko, R., 1998, ‘The Political Culture of Mass Communication Research and the Role of African Communication Scholars’, Africa Media Review, Vol. 4, No. 2, 72-82.
- Miller, A., 2005, ‘Keeping up with Cartography: A Call to Study African Communi- cation’, in W. J.
- Starosta and G-M. Chen, eds., International and Intercultural Communication Annual, 28 (pp. 214-236). Washington DC: NCA.
- Mutua-Kombo, E., 2009, ‘Their Words, Actions and Meaning: A Researcher’s Reflection on Rwandan Women’s Experiences of Genocide’, Qualitative In- quiry, Vol. 15 No. 2, 308-323.
- Obeng-Quidoo, I., 1987, ‘New Development-oriented Models of Communication Research in Africa: The Case for Focus Group Research in Africa’, Africa Media Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, 52-65.
- Okigbo, C., 1987, ‘American Communication Research and African Communica- tion Research: Need for a Philosophy of Africa Communication’, Africa Me- dia Review, Vol. 1 No. 2, 18-31.
- Taylor, D., Nwosu, P. and Mutua-Kombo, E., 2004, ‘Communication Studies in Africa: The Case for a
- Paradigm Shift for the 21st Century’, Africa Media Review, Vol. 12, (2), pp. 1-24.
- Wasserman, H., 2009, ‘Extending the Theoretical Cloth to Make Room for African Experience: An
- Interview with Francis Nyamnjoh’, Journalism Studies, 10:2, 281-293.
References
Boafo, K. and George, N., eds., 1992, Communication Research in Africa: Issues and Perspectives,
Nairobi: African Council for Communication Education (ACCE).
Jelaca, D., 2009, ‘Trauma in Spaces’, A conference paper presented at the Interna- tional Congress on Qualitative Inquiry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Cham- pagne, May 20-23, 2009.
Lal, J., 1999, ‘Situating Locations: The Politics of Self, Identity and the Living and Writing the Text’, in Sharlene Hesse-Biber, Christina Gilmartine & Robin Lydenberg, eds., Feminist Approaches to Theory and Methodology: An Inter- disciplinary Reader (pp. 100-137). New York: Oxford University
Press.
Madison, S., 2005, Critical Ethnography: Method, Ethics and Performance. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
M’Bayo, R. and Nwanko, R., 1998, ‘The Political Culture of Mass Communication Research and the Role of African Communication Scholars’, Africa Media Review, Vol. 4, No. 2, 72-82.
Miller, A., 2005, ‘Keeping up with Cartography: A Call to Study African Communi- cation’, in W. J.
Starosta and G-M. Chen, eds., International and Intercultural Communication Annual, 28 (pp. 214-236). Washington DC: NCA.
Mutua-Kombo, E., 2009, ‘Their Words, Actions and Meaning: A Researcher’s Reflection on Rwandan Women’s Experiences of Genocide’, Qualitative In- quiry, Vol. 15 No. 2, 308-323.
Obeng-Quidoo, I., 1987, ‘New Development-oriented Models of Communication Research in Africa: The Case for Focus Group Research in Africa’, Africa Media Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, 52-65.
Okigbo, C., 1987, ‘American Communication Research and African Communica- tion Research: Need for a Philosophy of Africa Communication’, Africa Me- dia Review, Vol. 1 No. 2, 18-31.
Taylor, D., Nwosu, P. and Mutua-Kombo, E., 2004, ‘Communication Studies in Africa: The Case for a
Paradigm Shift for the 21st Century’, Africa Media Review, Vol. 12, (2), pp. 1-24.
Wasserman, H., 2009, ‘Extending the Theoretical Cloth to Make Room for African Experience: An
Interview with Francis Nyamnjoh’, Journalism Studies, 10:2, 281-293.