Title: When victims become killers
Subtitle: colonialism, nativism and the genocide in Rwanda
First published: 2001
Description: "Rejecting easy explanations of the genocide as a mysterious evil force that was bizarrely unleashed, one of Africa's best-known intellectuals situates the tragedy in its proper context. He coaxes to the surface the historical, geographical, and political forces that made it possible for so many Hutu to turn so brutally on their neighbors. He finds answers in the nature of political identities generated during colonialism, in the failures of the nationalist revolution to transcend these identities, and in regional demographic and political currents that reach well beyond Rwanda. In so doing, Mahmood Mamdani broadens understanding of citizenship and political identity in postcolonial Africa." "Mamdani's analysis provides a foundation for future studies of the massacre. His answers point a way out of crisis: a direction for reforming political identity in central Africa and preventing future tragedies."--Jacket.

"Rejecting easy explanations of the genocide as a mysterious evil force that was bizarrely unleashed, one of Africa's best-known intellectuals situates the tragedy in its proper context. He coaxes to the surface the historical, geographical, and political forces that made it possible for so many Hutu to turn so brutally on their neighbors.

He finds answers in the nature of political identities generated during colonialism, in the failures of the nationalist revolution to transcend these identities, and in regional demographic and political currents that reach well beyond Rwanda. In so doing, Mahmood Mamdani broadens understanding of citizenship and political identity in postcolonial Africa.".

"Mamdani's analysis provides a foundation for future studies of the massacre. His answers point a way out of crisis: a direction for reforming political identity in central Africa and preventing future tragedies."--BOOK JACKET.
Subjects: Politics and government, Hutu (African people), Rwanda Civil War, 1994, Insurgency, Ethnic relations, Tutsi (African people), Genocide, Crimes against, Political crimes and offenses, History, Tutsi (african people), Hutu (african people), Rwanda, Tutsi (Peuple d'Afrique), Relations interethniques, Crimes contre les, Massamoorden, Politique et gouvernement, Hutu (peuple d'Afrique), Tutsi, Crimes et délits politiques, Révoltes, Hutu, Histoire, Génocide, Crimes contre, Etnische betrekkingen, 15.80 history of Africa
Places: Rwanda
Time periods: 20th century, Civil War, 1994
LC classification: DT450.435 .M35 2001