Ethnicity, Inequality, and Democratic Legitimacy in Contemporary Rwanda: A 'What's the Problem Represented to Be?' Policy Analysis of the Rwandan Constitution from 2003
Author
Jørgensen, Sandra Meyer
Term
4. term
Publication year
2021
Submitted on
2021-05-28
Pages
61
Abstract
Afhandlingen undersøger, hvordan Rwandas forfatning fra 2003 rammesætter etnicitet for at håndtere eftervirkningerne af folkemordet i 1994 og for at forstå, hvordan den siddende regering opnår demokratisk legitimitet trods kritik af politisk undertrykkelse. Med Carol Bacchis WPR-tilgang som metodisk ramme – via seks spørgsmål, der afdækker problemrepræsentation, antagelser, oprindelse, tavsheder, effekter og mulige alternativer – analyserer studiet forfatningens eksplicitte kamp mod „folkemordspraksisser“ og „folkemordsidéologi“ samt dens betoning af at udrydde etnisk kategorisering. Med støtte i teorier om etnicitet, nation/medborgerskab, folkemord som social praksis, offerpolitik, lighed (mulighed vs. udfald) og demokratisk legitimitet viser analysen, at forfatningen anlægger en farveblind tilgang, der søger at eliminere etnicitet for at forebygge splittelse og fremme lige og retfærdige resultater. Denne repræsentation adresserer imidlertid ikke direkte eksisterende skel, diskrimination og ulighed, og den indebærer begrænsninger af ytringsfrihed og politisk lighed. Den demokratiske legitimitet synes dermed i høj grad at hvile på resultater frem for procedurer, hvilket peger på mangel på lige muligheder. Afhandlingen anbefaler at erstatte den nuværende farveblinde linje med en mere etnicitetsbevidst tilgang, der kan gøre det muligt at konfrontere delinger og uligheder mere åbent, udvide det politiske rum og derved styrke den demokratiske legitimitet.
This thesis examines how Rwanda’s 2003 Constitution frames ethnicity to address the aftermath of the 1994 genocide and to understand how the current government secures democratic legitimacy amid criticisms of political repression. Using Carol Bacchi’s WPR approach—six questions that probe the problem representation, underlying assumptions, origins, silences, effects, and alternatives—the study analyzes the constitution’s explicit commitment to combating “genocide practices” and “genocide ideology” and its emphasis on eradicating ethnic categorization. Drawing on theories of ethnicity, nation/citizenship, genocide as social practice, politics of victimhood, equality (opportunity vs. outcome), and democratic legitimacy, the analysis finds that the constitution adopts a color-blind approach intended to eliminate ethnicity to prevent division and promote equal and just outcomes. However, this representation does not directly address existing cleavages, discrimination, and inequality, and it entails restrictions on freedom of expression and political equality. The government’s democratic legitimacy thus appears to rest more on outcomes than on procedures, indicating a lack of equality of opportunity. The thesis proposes replacing the current color-blind stance with a more ethnicity-conscious approach to openly tackle divisions and inequalities, widen the political space, and thereby reinforce democratic legitimacy.
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