Remaking Rwanda: State Building and Human Rights after Mass Violence

Remaking Rwanda examines the reconstruction of Rwanda in the years following the 1994 genocide. The book brings together perspectives from scholars and practitioners who have conducted research or worked in post-genocide Rwanda. The analysis focuses on key aspects of Rwanda's transformation, including political development, social reconciliation, justice initiatives, and economic reforms. Through field research and policy analysis, the contributors evaluate the successes and challenges of Rwanda's post-conflict recovery. The contributors assess the Rwandan government's approaches to rebuilding state institutions and fostering national unity. Multiple chapters explore rural development programs, land reform policies, and efforts to reshape historical narratives. This collection raises essential questions about post-conflict reconstruction, state authority, and the relationship between development and human rights. The work contributes to broader debates about how societies recover from mass violence while building effective governance.

Readers value this book's critical examination of post-genocide Rwanda and its challenge to the common narrative of Rwanda's recovery. Many note its thorough research and diverse perspectives from multiple scholars. Likes: - Detailed analysis of Rwanda's reconstruction policies - Balance of viewpoints on controversial topics - Strong academic research and citations - Coverage of rural perspectives often missing from other accounts Dislikes: - Academic writing style can be dense - Some chapters more engaging than others - Limited coverage of certain regions and demographics - Cost of hardcover edition Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (43 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (15 reviews) Notable reader comments: "Provides necessary counterpoint to government propaganda" - Goodreads reviewer "Best scholarly work on post-genocide Rwanda" - Amazon reviewer "Some chapters feel repetitive" - Goodreads reviewer "Could use more voices from ordinary Rwandans" - Amazon reviewer

We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families by Philip Gourevitch The book examines the Rwandan genocide through personal accounts, historical context, and political analysis to understand how the massacre unfolded and its aftermath.

A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide by Samantha Power This examination of genocides in the 20th century explores how international powers respond to mass atrocities, with significant focus on Rwanda and Bosnia.

When Victims Become Killers: Colonialism, Nativism, and the Genocide in Rwanda by Mahmood Mamdani The book analyzes the transformation of Rwandan society through colonial history and political identity to explain the roots of genocide.

The Order of Genocide: Race, Power, and War in Rwanda by Scott Straus Through interviews with perpetrators and extensive research, this work presents the mechanisms and local dynamics that enabled mass violence in Rwanda.

Life Laid Bare: The Survivors in Rwanda Speak by Jean Hatzfeld The book presents direct testimonies from Rwandan genocide survivors to document the experience of mass violence at the individual level.

🔹 While Rwanda's post-genocide government claims to promote ethnic reconciliation, author Scott Straus reveals how the state actually enforces a form of "ethnic amnesia" by making it illegal to discuss Hutu and Tutsi identities in many contexts. 🔹 The book challenges the commonly accepted "miracle narrative" of Rwanda's recovery, showing how the government's authoritarian approach to reconstruction has both positive and problematic consequences. 🔹 Editor Scott Straus is a professor at UC Berkeley who served as a journalist in East Africa during the immediate aftermath of the Rwandan genocide in 1994. 🔹 The collection includes perspectives from 27 different scholars and researchers, making it one of the most comprehensive academic examinations of post-genocide Rwanda published to date. 🔹 The research reveals how Rwanda's coffee industry was deliberately rebuilt after the genocide as a tool for reconciliation, bringing former enemies together in coffee cooperatives while boosting the nation's economy.