The Rundown
On the ground in Rwanda this coming May, Prof. Allan Thompson will lead a group of students through an exploration of the role of the media in the 1994 Rwanda genocide and the evolution of the media in Rwanda in the two decades since. The course will take place in the midst of Rwanda’s commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the events of the genocide, which unfolded from early April to late June of that year.
The course will focus on the issues that swirl around media development in a post-atrocity environment like Rwanda. A key aspect of the course will be meaningful interaction with working journalists, academics and media officials on the ground in Rwanda, supplemented by lectures and group work. It is hoped that a number of senior students from the School of Journalism and Communication at the National University of Rwanda will also participate in the course.
The Background
Prof. Thompson is a former Toronto Star reporter who covered the aftermath of the Rwanda genocide in 1996 and visited the country several more times as a reporter. As a member of the faculty in Carleton’s journalism school after 2003, he established a partnership with the fledgling journalism school at the National University of Rwanda and also edited The Media and the Rwanda Genocide, which remains one of the key references on the subject.
With Prof. Thompson’s direction, this group of students, from a range of disciplines and experiences, could see tremendous benefit from exploring Rwanda in the post-genocide landscape. Studying abroad is always a worthwhile opportunity and the chance to go to Rwanda does not come often. We are a keen group of students to earn as much support as we can by fundraising $15,000 to help off-set the costs associated with the trip.
Student Aspirations
“I’ve recently acquired a fascination for all things African and have been devoting a fair amount of time to learning as much as I can about the continent,” explains Alina Dixon (Political Science and Human Rights Major), who plans to travel with the Institute of African Studies to Rwanda.
“I’m aspiring to pursue a Master’s degree in International Development where I would be able to look more closely at the issue of reintegration of child soldiers in Africa. So for me, this program will hopefully be the first of many trips to the continent! Even if it isn’t, I’m hoping that this trip will help me make that decision and aid me in visualizing what I see myself doing once I’ve finished my undergraduate degree. It’s bound to be an amazing and insightful experience and I can’t wait!”
More Student Aspirations
The Rollout
Students in the course are likely to undertake several written assignments, possibly including a pre- journey piece on their expectations, a profile of a media professional encountered on the ground and a draft proposal for a major research project that could be undertaken in Rwanda or another post-atrocity environment at a later date. Students will also be expected to blog frequently about their experiences in Rwanda and produce a final report at the end. The program will include a period at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, which includes a research facility. Participants will also make field trips to key genocide sites and will also have the chance to interact with key figures on the media scene in Rwanda.
The Benefits
The Institute of African Studies at Carleton has generously offered to match dollar-for-dollar up to $15,000 to support this wonderful project – your gift today will have double the impact! The funding that the students earn will go towards the many costs incurred from this trip such as. Flights, inoculations, visas, and more that need to be paid for before they depart.
The deadline to donate is April 30, 2014!
Stay connected with The Study the Evolution of Media in Post-Genocide Rwanda project:
Twitter: @CarletonRwanda
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