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Articles · Vol. 17 No. 1-2 (2009): Africa Media Review, Volume 17, no 1 & 2, 2009

Theorizing Post-conflict Peace Communication: Can Rwandan Women’s Narratives of Sexual Violence Become the Point of Departure for Research?

Vol. 17 · 2009 No. 1-2 Africa Media Review, Volume 17, no 1 & 2, 2009 AMR

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.

Theorizing Post-conflict Peace Communication: Can Rwandan Women’s Narratives of Sexual Violence Become the Point of Departure for Research?

Francis Nyamnjoh défend la thèse selon laquelle « Le contexte et l’expérience africaines doivent contribuer à la construction des théories » (voir Wasserman 2009:286). Dans quelle mesure cette assertion peut-elle être pertinente à la recherche sur la communication pour la paix d’après guerre ? Cet article propose que les expériences des femmes rwandaises pendant et après le génocide de 1994 puissent bel et bien nous aider à développer une théorie de la communication pour la paix d’après guerre. L’implication épistémique de cet argument consiste au fait que la façon dont nous comprenons la communication dans un contexte d’après guerre s’appesantit sur la symbolique des expériences vécues. Développer une théorie solide qui explique cette réalité nécessite de mettre en avant les voix de ceux qui l’ont vécue. L’auteur utilise alors les narrations des femmes rwandaises sur la violence sexuelle pour illustrer les implications épistémiques de leurs expériences et exploiter la compréhension de la communication pour la paix d’après guerre.

Keywords

Rwanda genocide women sexual violence post-conflict peace communication

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