Survivor agency in the post-genocide memorialization process in Rwanda

Abstract

Survivor agency within the memorialization process of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda has often been marginalized in academic discourse. Since the end of the genocide, much of the research has focused on the Rwandan government’s influence in shaping genocide memorials and their narratives, sometimes reducing the complexity of memorialization to questions of state power and control. Consequently, the contributions of individual survivors, their organizations, local community members, artists, intellectuals, and both local and international organizations have been insufficiently acknowledged. This article aligns with scholars who centre survivors as key contributors to memorialization, emphasizing their significant involvement in creating and shaping memorial sites, particularly at the local level. Drawing on extensive fieldwork and survivor testimonies, we explore how survivors’ early initiatives and ongoing participation have shaped Rwanda’s memorial landscape. By foregrounding survivor agency, we demonstrate that memorialization is a multifaceted process encompassing state-driven efforts, institutional and non-state actors, and grassroots survivor contributions, enriching the discourse on transitional justice and collective memory.