Work

Gendered Blame: Narratives of Participation in Genocide

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: This article draws upon interviews with 74 Rwandans to analyze how they explain civilian participation in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Specifically, we assess how Rwandans describe why men and women perpetrated genocide. We find that respondents commonly attribute men’s participation in the genocide to structural, external factors, such as government orders. However, respondents regularly attribute women’s participation to jealousy and other factors tied to their personalities. We also assess how the attribution of blame may impact the treatment of formerly incarcerated individuals, suggesting that gendered views of the women who committed genocide may hinder their reentry and reintegration.

Source: Feminist Criminology

DOI: 10.1177/15570851231188972

Authors: Hollie Nyseth Nzitatira, Kait S. Schell, Eric Sibomana

Institutions: The Ohio State University, University of Vienna

Language: English

Topic: Gender, Security, and Conflict

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, European Commission, H2020 European Research Council