Methodological problems to the understanding of the Rwandan genocide

This article is a prelude to other articles in this issue that provide multiple interpretations of the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The article explores how history, travel writing, autobiographical accounts, media and philosophical perspectives can draw attention to the many ways in which the Rwandan genocide can be understood. While this interdisciplinary methodological approach may not claim to be exhaustive, it teases out some important works written so far on the subject matter of Rwandan genocide. Historical accounts provide insights into factors responsible for the genocide, while the genre of travel writing uses journalistic perspectives based on eye-witness accounts. Media perspectives use concepts of framing and salience in reporting the genocide while the autobiographical approach focuses on experiences of individuals who bore the brunt of genocide. Each of these approaches attempts to provide solutions to the methodological problems in analysing the Rwandan genocide.