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The book concentrates on the construction of the trans-generational understanding of the labels of victim and perpetrator in contemporary society, investigating their impact on the diasporic consciousness of Rwandan and Bosnian communities in the United States, as well as their political participation and involvement. The book challenges the common assumption that the notion of trauma belongs almost exclusively to the victim, often leaving descendants of the perpetrator ignored and blamed through multiple generations. The comprehensive analysis in this book is rooted in both the author's experience as a survivor of genocide and her deep understanding of the various social and political dynamics that shape the lives of immigrant communities.
List of contents
Preface - Acknowledgments - List of Abbreviations - Introduction: The Stories of New Generations - Who Have We Become? Exploring Identities in the Wake of Trauma and Social Categorization - Diaspora Communities: A Bridge Between Two Nations - Bosnian Historical Narratives of Instability - Rwanda's Troubling History and Current Instability - Victimhood Identity and its Marginalizing Effects - The Burden of Perpetration - Emotions of Shame, Guilt, and Pride - Diaspora Communities Fight for Assimilation - New Waves of Participation - Conclusion: The Legacy of Labels - Index.
About the author
Claudine A. Kuradusenge-McLeod, originally from Rwanda, is Professorial Lecturer of Conflict Resolution and International Affairs at the School of International Service, American University. She is the author of "Denied Victimhood and Contested Narratives: The Case of Hutu Diaspora" and "Belgian Hutu Diaspora Narratives of Victimhood and Trauma." She is an educator, researcher, activist, and scholar who specializes in complex identity formation, diaspora and transnational studies, and genocide studies. Her research has taken her to Europe, Brazil, Africa, and the United States. As a conflict resolution scholar, she is involved in nongovernmental work on youth engagement and empowerment, multicultural (racial and ethnic) dialogue, genocide prevention, and post-conflict trauma healing.
Summary
The book concentrates on the construction of the trans-generational understanding of labels of victim and perpetrator in contemporary society, investigating their impact on the diasporic consciousness of Rwandan and Bosnian communities in the United States, as well as their political participation and involvement.
Report
"The book concentrates on the construction of the trans-generational understanding of labels of victim and perpetrator in contemporary society, investigating their impact on the diasporic consciousness of Rwandan and Bosnian communities in the United States, as well as their political participation and involvement. The book challenges the common assumption that the notion of trauma belongs almost exclusively to the victim which often leaves the perpetrator ignored and blamed through multiple generations. The comprehensive analysis in this book is rooted in both the author's life experience, as a genocide survivor, and her deep understanding of the different social and political dynamics that shape the lives of immigrant communities." -Karina Korostelina, Professor of Conflict Analysis and Resolution and Director of the Program on Prevention of Mass Violence and the Program on History, Memory, and Conflict, George Mason University
