This public history course will focus on the recorded life stories of Rwandan genocide survivors and exiles now living in Montreal, part of the online Living Archives of the Rwandan Diaspora (livingarchivesvivantes.org). The web platform was developed in partnership with Page-Rwanda, a survivor’s organization, the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling (COHDS), and Concordia’s Geomedia Lab. You will delve into these first-person accounts and develop an original research project based on your research. The course will also provide you with a grounding in the field of oral history and some of the ethical, political, and methodological challenges of working with archived interviews. You will also have the opportunity to work with newly developed digital tools. At four moments over the course of the term, we will be connecting with a geography course on narrative mapping taught by Dr. Sébastien Caquard, which is also focusing on these same interviews. Class time will mainly be spent working with the materials and learning in conversation. Participation is therefore essential. Some of the course content is obviously difficult.
Required Readings:
Weekly readings are listed in the weekly schedule and are all available electronically at the library.
If you are looking for background reading on the history of the Rwandan genocide itself, I have put a paper copy of the following key source on course reserve: Scott Straus, The Order of Genocide: Race, Power and War in Rwanda. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2006.
Method of Evaluation:
Individual Participation 20%
Life Story Analysis (September 21st) 15%
Story Analysis (October 5th) 15%
Research-Creation Project
- Proposal (October 12th) Pass/Fail
- Presentation (November 14-30) 10%
- Final Paper (December 5th) 40%
- Teacher: STEVEN HIGH