Mobilising the dead? The place of bones and corpses in the commemoration of the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda

Rwanda's genocide memorial sites, particularly those commemorating the Tutsi genocide, prominently feature bones and corpses as symbolic elements. A historical analysis reveals that these remains have evolved from being highly visible symbols of suffering to being dematerialized in support of reconciliation policies. The study, based on archives from Rwanda's genocide memory commissions and interviews with key memorial actors, demonstrates how the hypermateriality of bodies has been strategically managed over time to serve both commemorative and reconciliatory purposes.

Korman, R. (2015). Mobilising the dead? The place of bones and corpses in the commemoration of the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda. Human Remains and Violence: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 1(2), 56–70. https://doi.org/10.7227/hrv.1.2.6