Domestic pedagogies of peace and conflict in Rwandan and Banyamulenge refugee communities in Rwanda

Abstract

This article investigates domestic pedagogies of peace and conflict, as teaching

and learning about violence in families affected by genocide and war may contribute

to how ordinary people break cycles of conflict or enable its continuities. We draw

on focused ethnographic research with two communities affected by genocide and violence: Rwandans and Banyamulenge refugees living in Rwanda. We found distinct patterns in respective communities, with Banyamulenge teaching concrete knowledge about past experiences and its implications for identity and survival; and Rwandans largely avoiding sharing of knowledge about the genocide within families but warning for general carefulness. In both communities, children interpreted the teachings in their own ways. We argue that domestic pedagogies of peace and conflict may shape war–peace dynamics, though not in linear ways.