Narrating and Teaching the Nation
Author | : Denise Bentrovato |
Publisher | : V&R Unipress |
Total Pages | : 255 |
Release | : 2016-02-15 |
ISBN-10 | : 9783847005162 |
ISBN-13 | : 3847005162 |
Rating | : 4/5 (62 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: The book investigates the politics of education in pre- and post-genocide Rwanda, examining the actors, interests, and discourses that have historically influenced educational policy and practice and in particular the production and revision of history curricula and textbooks.This study combines a systematic historical and comparative analysis of curricula and textbooks in Rwanda, stakeholder interviews, classroom observations, and a large-scale investigation of pupils' understandings of the country's history. Written at a crucial time of transition in Rwanda, it illuminates the role of education as a powerful means of socialisation through which dominant discourses and related belief systems have been transmitted to the younger generations, thus moulding the nation. It outlines emergent challenges and possibilities, urging a move away from the use of history teaching to disseminate a conveniently selective official history towards practices that promote critical thinking and reflect the heterogeneity characteristic of Rwanda's post-genocide society.