CASE STUDY AND GENDER ANALYSIS-THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE

Sample Solution

1. The Role of Women in Rwandan Society:

Prior to the genocide, Rwandan women primarily occupied the private sphere, playing traditional roles within the family structure. They were responsible for domestic duties, childcare, and agricultural work. Their public presence was limited, often confined to markets and religious gatherings.

   

Full Answer Section

    Gendered Propaganda and the Public Sphere: The Rwandan genocide was fueled by gendered propaganda that portrayed Tutsi women as sexually promiscuous and a threat to Hutu masculinity. This propaganda aimed to:

• Delegitimise Tutsi women: By portraying them as immoral and impure, it aimed to justify violence against them.
• Incite Hutu men: By stoking fear and anger, it encouraged them to view Tutsi women as targets for rape and violence.
• Dehumanise Tutsi women: By denying them their humanity, it made it easier to commit atrocities against them.

This propaganda effectively expanded the public sphere for Tutsi women, casting them as actors in a political narrative that ultimately targeted them for violence. Their private lives and bodies became politicized and weaponized against them.

3. Defining the Public and Private Spheres:

The public sphere encompasses all aspects of life that are open to public scrutiny and debate. It includes political institutions, media, and spaces where people can gather and voice their opinions. The private sphere, on the other hand, refers to the realm of personal life, family, and intimate relationships. Prior to the genocide, Rwandan society adhered to a strict gender division between these two spheres. Women were largely confined to the private sphere, while men dominated the public sphere. However, the genocide blurred these lines, dragging women into the public sphere through propaganda and violence.

4. The Role of Women in the Public vs. Private Spheres:

While women were primarily confined to the private sphere before the genocide, they did play certain roles in the public sphere:

• Economic roles: Women participated in markets, traded goods, and contributed to the economy.
• Religious roles: Women played significant roles in churches and religious communities.
• Political roles: Although limited, some women held positions of power within the political system.

Despite their limited public presence, women were not entirely absent from public life. However, the genocide forcibly thrust them into the public eye, making them targets for violence and exploitation.

5. Public Killings of Tutsi Women:

During the genocide, Tutsi women were often killed in public spaces, often in front of their families and communities. This publicization of violence served several purposes:

• Intimidation and terror: It aimed to terrorize the Tutsi population and discourage them from resisting.
• Humiliation and degradation: Public killings were meant to humiliate and degrade Tutsi women, stripping them of their dignity and humanity.
• Propaganda and incitement to further violence: Public killings served as a form of propaganda, reinforcing the dehumanization of Tutsi women and encouraging further violence.

By killing Tutsi women in public, the perpetrators aimed to not only eliminate them physically but also to erase their identity, dignity, and cultural significance.

6. Conclusion:

The "public woman discourse" played a critical role in targeting Tutsi women during the Rwandan genocide. By framing them as immoral and a threat to Hutu masculinity, the discourse justified violence against them and expanded their public presence in a way that ultimately led to their victimization. This case highlights the devastating consequences of gendered propaganda and the vulnerability of women during armed conflicts. Question 2: Intersectionality and Climate Change

1. Gender, Sexuality, and Nation:

Joane Nagel's article, "Intersecting Identities and Global Climate Change," argues that climate change disproportionately impacts women due to their gender roles, social status, and economic vulnerability. She emphasizes the importance of considering factors like sexual orientation and gender identity alongside national identity to understand the diverse experiences of women in the face of climate disasters.

2. Race, Gender, Class, and Moral Economy: Hurricane Katrina as an Example:

Hurricane Katrina exposed the intersectional vulnerabilities of women in the face of disaster. African American women, particularly those from lower-class backgrounds, were disproportionately affected due to pre-existing social inequalities. Their limited access to resources, limited mobility due to childcare responsibilities, and the moral expectations placed on them as mothers further compounded their vulnerability.

3. Nation, Class, and the Global System:

Nagel argues that global economic inequalities play a significant role in determining vulnerability to climate change. Developed nations are responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions, while developing nations often bear the brunt of the consequences. This creates a global system where the burdens of climate change are disproportionately borne by