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The book investigates the politics of education in pre- and post-genocide Rwanda, examining the actors, interests, and discourses that have historically influenced educational policy and practice and in particular the production and revision of history curricula and textbooks.
This study combines a systematic historical and comparative analysis of curricula and textbooks in Rwanda, stakeholder interviews, classroom observations, and a large-scale investigation of pupils' understandings of the country's history. Written at a crucial time of transition in Rwanda, it illuminates the role of education as a powerful means of socialisation through which dominant discourses and related belief systems have been transmitted to the younger generations, thus moulding the nation. It outlines emergent challenges and possibilities, urging a move away from the use of history teaching to disseminate a conveniently selective official history towards practices that promote critical thinking and reflect the heterogeneity characteristic of Rwanda's post-genocide society.
About the author
She holds a Ph.D. in International and Political History from the University of Utrecht, an M.A. in Conflict Resolution from the University of Bradford, and a B.A. in Language and Culture Studies with a minor in African Studies from the universities of Utrecht and Copenhagen. Before joining the GEI, she worked in academia and for international organisations and NGOs in Europe and Africa in the fields of peacebuilding and post-war educational reform, including UNESCO.
