Never again? Human rights atrocities and the legacy of the Rwandan genocide
As part of the Library Lecture Series, Dr. Sarah K. Lischer of the Political Science Department will speak on her research and experiences in African refugee camps during Spring 2009.
"Recently, the Rwandan genocide of 1994 has captured popular attention through books and movies that movingly depict the horrors of mass killing, population displacement, rape, and torture. Yet 15 years ago, during the 100 days of genocide, America and other Western nations displayed a conspicuous lack of attention to events in Rwanda. After the fact, with hundreds of thousands of Tutsi murdered and millions of refugees displaced in fetid, disease-ridden camps, Rwandans and outside observers expressed bewilderment at how a human being could mercilessly kill a neighbor or friend or student or spouse. Genocide survivors also wondered how the rest of the world could have ignored their desperate plight. During my recent field research in Rwanda I explored those ethical puzzles by talking with humanitarian aid workers, religious leaders, scholars, and numerous traumatized Rwandan citizens. In my lecture, I will share some of the surprising responses I received to my questions. Sadly, despite its many exceptional characteristics, the Rwandan genocide is not a unique case of massive human rights atrocities. Drawing on the lessons of Rwanda, I will discuss the current suffering in Darfur, the Congo, Zimbabwe, and war zones around the world. " -Dr. Lischer
- Sponsor: Z. Smith Reynolds Library
- Location: ZSR Library 204
- Open to: Community, Faculty, Graduate Students, Staff, Students
- Facilitator: Dr. Sarah Lischer