NOTE: SIT will make every effort to maintain its programs as described. To respond to emergent situations, like COVID-19, SIT may have to modify programs.
Examine the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda and efforts to foster peace, unity, and reconciliation. Travel to northern Uganda to study collective strategies of remembrance.
WHY STUDY PEACEBUILDING IN RWANDA?
In 1994, Rwanda was the site of a devastating genocide in which nearly 1 million people were killed in 100 days. Today, Rwanda provides an excellent case study on reconciliation and peacebuilding. In Kigali, the sprawling capital city, you’ll study the root causes and impacts of the genocide. Travel to Uganda to learn about the Lord’s Resistance Army conflict and Uganda’s own reconciliation process. You’ll visit genocide memorials, a refugee settlement, and healing programs for genocide survivors and victims of displacement. You’ll also see Murchison Falls National Park.
KEY TOPICS OF STUDY
- Rwandan history and origins of conflict and genocidal outbreak
- Collective strategies of remembrance and combating genocide deniers
- Social and psychological impact of genocide on survivors
- Changing gender relations and the status of women
- Refugees and displace people in post-conflict environments
- Post-genocide economic development
Please visit the SIT Study Abroad website for details on the program courses (including syllabi), educational excursions, and housing.
MONEY MATTERS
SIT is an all-inclusively priced study abroad program – including academics costs, excursions, accommodations and meals, airport transfers, and health insurance. Be sure to discuss how study abroad costs are handled at your school with your study abroad advisor and read the website for more specific information.
SCHOLARSHIPS
CONTACT SIT STUDY ABROAD
Academic Program
Students enroll in five courses during the semester, for a total of 16 U.S. semester credits (4.0 Pomona credits). The academic program consists of:
Kinyarwanda language study (0.75 Pomona credits)
Anatomy of Genocide and Intra-State Conflict (0.75 Pomona credits)
Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Peacebuilding (0.75 Pomona credits)
Research Methods and Ethics (0.75 Pomona credits)
Independent Study Project (ISP; 1.0 Pomona credits) or Internship and Seminar (1.0 Pomona credit)
There is no CR/NC option on this program.
Living Arrangements
Students live in local homes in Kigali and are provided with breakfast and dinner daily and lunch on the weekends. During excursions and field study, students live in a combination of guest houses, hostels, or small hotels. During the ISP period, students choose a research site in Kigali or elsewhere in Rwanda (by approval) and my continue living with their host families or seek independent housing.
Number of Students
SIT enrolls approximately 15-25 students, selected from a national pool.
Host Institution
School for International Training (SIT)
Faculty Liaison
Pierre Englebert
Eligibility
Emotional maturity is necessary, as studying genocide and its aftermath may be difficult and upsetting. Knowledge of French is not required but students with a background in the language will have opportunities to use it on the program. A college-level course with content on Rwanda or the region is highly recommended.
Travel Advisories
Student Experiences
Listen to Sarah Burch's (PO '22) experience on the SIT program in Rwanda on the Sagehens Abroad Podcast.
