Features
Rwanda: Then and Now
By Amanda Curtis
Ever dream about going some place that would be an adventure? Or want to go on a trip that could be a chance of a lifetime?
Six Keene State College students will be going on a unique travel opportunity to Rwanda, Africa in the month of May. The “catch” to this trip is that it is actually a class offered during the Summer Session I. This sociology course is led by Professor Therese Siebert and is entitled Rwanda: Then and Now.
The course entails learning: how to confront stereotypes about Africans, convey and promote an overall cultural awareness and respect, and understand Rwandan history and society including the Rwanda genocide and the issues surrounding it. These tasks will be learned through the teaching of Professor Siebert, the Never Again workshop, which is a genocide prevention agency, and also through the students’ own experience while in Rwanda. The students will be learning and promoting these tasks through readings, discussions, and travel in Rwanda. Upon returning from this travel and learning opportunity the eight students will give a public presentation on what they learned in this course while in Africa.
Rwanda: Then
Originally, when Rwandan society was under Belgian rule, there consisted two different ethnic groups that created two different socioeconomic backgrounds. They were the Hutu, which consisted of the peasants, and the Tutsi, which consisted of aristocracy. Like most societies that consisted of these two classes the Hutu were the minority of the Rwandan population.
In 1962, however, roles became reversed, the Tutsi who were once in power were now peasants and the Hutu who were once poor were now aristocrats because Rwanda had gained its independence from Belgium. As a result many Tutsis fled the country, rebelled, and created an army: the Rwandan Patriotic Front. In 1990 this army returned to Rwanda and forced the Hutu president to sign an agreement that the Hutu and Tutsi would share political power.
In October 1993 tension between the Hutu and the Tutsi increased as a result of the first Hutu elected president being assassinated. Unfortunately, the agreement increased the tension between the Hutu and Tutsi and certain Hutu people were opposed to sharing any political power and composed a death list of Tutsi and Hutu supporting politicians.
On April 6, 1994 the two Rwandan presidents were killed because their jet was shot down near the Rwandan airport, thus creating a huge uproar between the two ethnicities and resulting in the Hutu extremists acting upon their previously composed hit list. This upheaval consequently led to all Rwandan people carrying identification cards that included their ethnicity, making Tutsis easily identifiable; and therefore easier to target. Hateful propaganda and mass killings of Tutsi people began. The mass killings would last for hours, sometimes starting at eight o’clock in the morning and not ending until late in the evening.
It wasn’t until July 1994 after 800,000 people were killed that the genocide ended as a result of the Rwandan Patriotic Front defeating the Hutu.
Rwanda: Now
Although the genocide is over, the healing is just beginning. Rwanda has formed a very board-based government that is focusing on creating a nation without ethnic splits. The government so far has been keeping control of the tension and the speech of the people. Discussion about differences in ethnicity is punished and political parties are not to discuss any debates in public.
As for people involved in killings during the early 1990s there is a long road to justice. Anyone who was suspected of being involved is imprisoned and with so many suspects jails are full and court dates for trials are drawn out.
One precaution that is being taken to keep the peace is “solidarity camps.” These camps are to help Rwandans who fled the country reintegrate as well as help prisoners rejoin society.
Although the healing and a new government have just begun, the government has also created a good baseline for the newer generation. More children are now enrolled in primary schooling. The government has also established a new health insurance system that is open to more people. With these baseline systems in place, there is hope for a good future for Rwandan people.
Rwanda: Then and Now
Genocide is often the result of a power conflict, like it was in the Rwanda genocide, but there is much more to take away from these horrific events. All human life is valuable and all people deserve the same human rights. To prevent these rights from being violated and to prevent and resolve human right conflicts is knowledge that every human should know. These skills are taught to people through others pasts and how they dealt with it. The opportunity to learn these skills from a culture that had to learn them first hand has arrived. Eight fortunate Keene State College students are taking advantage of this opportunity to bring the lessons they learn back to their own community; our community.
Recommended Resources
History World: History of Rwanda (http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad24).
This online encyclopedia gives information about Rwandan history, including the genocide.
Whitelaw, Kevin. Rwanda Reborn (U.S. News & World Report April 2007).
The news article gives updated information about Rwandan society and how Rwandans feel about the changes that the country has been undergoing since the genocide.
Therese Siebert (whose office is in Rhodes Hall) can provide further information about Rwanda: Then and Now, including the course syllabus which informed this article.
Nicaraguan energy crisis
By Tyler James Girouard
While visiting Nicaragua over spring break (2008) our group had the privilege of meeting and speaking with a Consumer Rights advocate from Masaya named Roger Lacayo. We discussed many social issues and problems that needed to be taken on head first, the most prominent issue, energy. During the discussion the leader made a comment about how funds for a radio program (about $180 a month) to help spread information and educate the public would be a huge step forward. Many of my peers were taken aback to learn that purchasing time on a radio station could come at such a small price. You could feel that we wanted to make a contribution — it was in the room that we immediately felt connected to this man and were open to his words.
Mr. Lacayo began to describe the situation as very grim. The Spanish-owned electric companies were coming in to take over and monopolize a country. This was horrifying for us because we could already see the people of this country struggling. They do not need business people looking to take advantage of people without the means to take their energy business elsewhere. The companies installed thermostats in every house that were about three hundred dollars each, but they didn’t even work. They showed numbers that were not real; therefore, people were charged unfairly for their energy use.
Lacayo was a content and interesting person even though he was discussing detrimental topics he came across cool, calm, and collected, which is something I admire in any individual. For people to have a social leader representing them with this demeanor can only help their situation. I noticed that social issues are being taken on headfirst (not fist first). He made it clear that his goal was to outsmart the Spanish, not out muscle them with violence. War is not good for anyone and they intend to avoid harming the human race.
One of the ways he wanted to outsmart the foreign-owned company was to paint every thermostat in the country red that was installed by the Spanish electric company Union Fenosa, this way there would be no way to read the meter (or charge adequately). He said this hurt them immensely; maybe this time they would install a machine that read the numbers as they were. Regardless, people were still being taken advantage of, by being charged high prices for energy they most certainly did not use. My friend Brynne Keith-Jennings, who is living in Nicaragua, agreed. She also said that the companies don’t waste any time at all to cut off your energy. Although the contract stated that 48 hours would be given to the home owner to settle unpaid bills, this was hardly ever the case. They would rush this process and cut off your energy, probably to collect in the future more money to re-connect the energy. The only way to stop this would to post outside your home where the eclectic company trucks would part and intercept their actions, but this is very difficult because often they would come early in the morning, or when most people are at work.
After having one of the most interesting discussions of this trip, we could not help to feel overwhelmed with emotion. I could see the hardship on his face. I could see he cares and loves for the people of his country, a country of which he has much pride for. I was so happy to hear that our group made a donation — us being the hopefuls that we are. Maybe this radio program can and will make a change. This trip had an overwhelming theme — educating the youth. We hope to be a part of that.
Gender Roles
By Jessica Stone
Have you ever wondered why things change in our society? One specific thing that has changed is gender roles. According to Wikipedia encyclopedia gender roles is a set of perceived behavioral norms that is associated to the genders of female and male. In the United States gender roles start to influence someone as young as early childhood because of the way our parents bring us up. Parents treat boys and girls differently which is one way that helps them define their gender role. Another aspect that influences gender roles at a young age is the toys that we are taught to play with. For example males play with trucks and women play with dolls. These gender roles have changed drastically from our past to present-day and it will keep on changing and making more positive strides in the future.
If we move back in time to about the 1930’s and looked at the gender roles as they were then they would be different then what we know in our present-day. The female role would be as the caregiver, the one who takes care of the children and the household. The male role is to be the one that works and earns the income for his family. They are looked at as “the bread winners” of the families. During this period of time women were not seen in school institutions beyond high school because they got married and started a family at a young age. It was during World War II when society accepted that women could get a higher education and work out of the household while the men were at war. Once the males returned the women went right back into the household. At this time our society felt that women were not able to do the same work as men because it was believed that women were powerless, fragile, emotional and uneducated. Our culture felt that they would fit best in the household instead of working out in the workforce.
In the past our society felt that every family in our country should be the “nuclear family” which consists of mother, father and children. In the “nuclear family” the mother stays home and the father works. In the past this was the ideal family that everyone wanted to have and if families did not consist of the nuclear family they were looked down upon. In our present-day it has changed because not all families consist of mother and father. It it also seen that mothers are now stepping out of the house and working in the workforce. The “nuclear family” hasn’t disappeared all the way but the non-traditional family is more accepted by our society because women are standing up for what the want and our society has changed the view of what makes up a family.
If we travel to present-day and to our future we can see that gender roles have changed drastically and will constantly be changing in the future. Gender roles are changing because our culture changes and grows to keep up with what males and females want. Women want to be able to work and take care of the house and the children at the same time. They do not want to depend on the male figure for money and also many families need both the mother and father’s income to survive in the United States. Also in our present society there are more one parent families which forces women to work so they can be economically stable. Women also are welcome to get a higher education and are waiting much longer to start a family. In some families the male is the one who takes care of the house and the children while the woman is out working. This is something that we would have never seen in the past and now it is accepted. In many cases when women give birth more fathers are taking paternity leave of absences so they can be with their children and wife during this very important life event. Men are also participating in the household chores like washing dishes, vacuuming and doing laundry. In our past that was only the women’s role and now we are seeing both take part in this work.
Our society still has many barriers that women have to face but they have made one step forward by changing the behavioral norms that gender roles consist of. As everything in our society changes and grows we have to adapt to those changes and be more accepting to change. Having gender roles change over previous generations is one more way of getting closer to having equality in our society.
Women and Occupations
By Lindsey Smith
When I was 12 I decided I was going to be a firefighter. This decision stemmed from the most traumatizing experience I’ve ever been through. My next-door neighbors’ house caught on fire in the middle of the night. It was one of the scariest scenes I have ever witnessed. Kelly (the mother), Pete (the father), Heather (their little girl) were able to make it out safely. But the problem was Sarah was still stuck inside her bedroom. Apparently the ceiling had caved in right in front of her bedroom door locking her inside. The parents rushed over to my house and called 911. After what felt like 3 hours, I finally heard the fire engine coming. It raced down my street stopping in front of their house and a handful of firefighters all dressed in yellow jumped off and ran into the house, not even scared. I was crying and felt helpless as could be. Sarah was my new best friend, she had just moved in that past summer and we became very close. I was terrified I would never be able to see her again. Finally, the person dressed in a big yellow suit came running over to where my family was standing with Pete, Kelly and Heather. The person was carrying Sarah, and it was a woman. I was so happy when I saw Sarah I threw my arms around the firefighter and thanked her for saving my friend. This was the moment when I realized that I wanted to be just like that woman. She was so courageous just running into the burning house without even hesitating! I wanted to be able to give the gift of life back to someone; to be able to save someone who isn’t supposed to die yet. So after that I pursued my career in firefighting. You have no idea how hard that was. Even though fire did scare me, especially by seeing how easily it could damage a house within minutes and almost destroy a life, I still was adamant in becoming a firefighter. I became an EMT after many classes and much training. But I had begun to notice a difference in how many women there were in the field versus men. I always felt as though I had something to prove, just because I was a minority. I was always surrounded by boys and I felt as though I had to be just as good or even better them then in anything, so it became more like a game than a passion. That’s basically the reason why I didn’t stick with it.
Firefighting apparently is considered a “mans” job, and a woman was not wanted. They excluded me in many activities. But what bothered me the most is seeing woman after woman apply for a position who was just as good as the boy didn’t receive it. If it were up to me, I would rather have the person who qualified for the job, whether they were a man or a woman should not matter. Still today I sometimes regret quitting trying to be a firefighter. I feel as though if I had stuck with it I would be more proud of myself, but the hardships I would endure would be awful. I can’t imagine how much you’d have to fight for yourself in order to have to prove that you’re good enough. After a while that hurts your spirit and then you start to question whether or not you really are good enough, and you should never have to question that. Firefighting is a very well respected job, and I will always be forever grateful that that woman saved my friends life. She gave me a reason to want to help people, and that I think is the best thing you can give someone. Maybe someday I will return to firefighting, but for now I will be a Sociologist.
Next time you’re around a receptionist, elementary school teacher, or a nurse notice whether it’s a male or a female. Most likely it will be a woman. Throughout the past hundred years there have been stereotypes of a “mans” job versus a “woman’s’” job. The fact that female-dominated fields pay less even when qualifications, experience and working time are taken into account bothers me quite a bit. Thankfully, in 1982, women surpassed men in obtaining bachelor degrees in college. We are moving on up in this world, and we’re going to show them what we’re made of! Women are just as smart as men and can do whatever they can do, if not better. This difference between women and men’s’ occupation is what sociologists mean when they refer to the gender segregation of work. And hopefully sooner or later our society will shape up and there will no longer be gap between women and men’s’ jobs.
Men and sports: Can’t get enough
By Hannah Sortino
Throughout my life I have learned and seen so many things in this world, and there is more to come. But the relationship between men and sports has always been one of those things that stuck out to me. Being a woman myself, I have always been more of tomboy-like female. Growing up with two older bothers, I played baseball with the boys until I was forced to switch over to softball with all of the girls. Sports were in my life as much as any male, but everything was not the same or equal for me. Why was I not treated the same as everyone else on my team? Because I am a female.
When Douglas Hartman asked sports enthusiast why they participate in sports, many answers were given. “Because it’s fun and exciting,” one said. Others responded with answers like “because they need exercise and want to stay physically fit” or “talking about sports is a way to unwind and relax” and “sports is about the thrill and competition.” Sports participation usually starts from being a fan of a certain sport or watching it on television. All of these answers make sense but they still do not explain why men, on average, are more likely to participate and be involved in sports than women.
For certain men, the love for sports goes back to their childhood. Sports for young boys provided them with a reason to get together for some fun and hang out with their male friends. If a girl asked to play, boys would sometimes laugh or give them a lame excuse like telling them to go play with their dolls. I have been a girl in that situation, and it is not a good feeling inside. Remembering back on my childhood, it confused me why the boys did not approve of co-ed recreational sports. I felt like I was just as good, so why wouldn’t they want me to play with them?
As a future sociologist and researcher on this topic about men and sports, it is all starting to make sense. It has little to do with any natural attraction to athletics, but it may be based on connections to other boys and men. Michael Messner interview retired athletes and got responses like “the most important thing was just about being out these with the rest of the guys-being friends.” Another person responded with “its something fun to do with fathers, older brothers, uncles and eventually with same-aged peers.”
It all makes sense now. At least for the most part…It not that boys’ don’t think girls are good at sports, it’s that they seek out time for male bonding. Sports remain one of the few socially approved settings in which boys and men, and fathers and sons, can express themselves and bond with each other. Its not as if girls can’t play sports, but part of the social experience excludes them.
Being an athlete myself, my father has always encouraged and coached me to play as many sports as possible. Sports were a connection that we shared. My two older brothers also played sports. I did not have that same connection with my father that my brothers did. I was ignored when their favorite teams were on television. I was ignored while they cheered during games. It was something that bothered me but I grew to get used to if over time. Boys’ athletics tend to be more physical and aggressive and put more emphasis on winning, being tough, and dealing with injuries and pain. I am not trying to say that some females don’t have that fierce drive in them, I am just trying to state that it is portrayed or expressed in a different way.
Women’s sports are great. Sometimes women’s sports have different rules, but women are still great at sports and great athletes. Girls need to keep participating in sports just as men do. No female should feel like they are not as good as a male at any sport. It is thanks to our society that women’s and men’s sports are so segregated, but “ladies” remember that sports bonding is what brings men together.
The negative side of cell phones
By Melanie Hodet
I was sitting at a basket ball game a little while ago and as I looked around at the people around me sitting in the stands, I noticed a girl that looked to be about 13 or 14 texting on her phone. I looked around at the other people in the stands the other teens that I saw were all either talking on there phones or texting people on their phones. I looked at all of the adults and they were talking to other people and watching the game that was going on. The adults seemed to be more social and outgoing while the teens seem to be anti-social. There was 3 little kids that were about 4 or 5 that didn’t know each other, but they just started playing with each other. It seemed that the adults and the young children were being social and interacting with other while the teens that we sitting at this game were being very anti -social and keeping to themselves and just texting on their cell phones. What has happened to teens? It seems that teens have become less social in public situations.
Texting in the past couple of years alone has become more popular. Phones are now coming out with full key boards in the phones. Just to make it easier for people to text. Cell phone developers are making it even easier for teens to be even more anti- social. Teens have developed different social patterns then adults have. Most adults, when they are in public, have no problem starting up a conversation with someone even if they don’t know them. That’s something that they grew up doing and seeing their parents do. But now teens have become less social around people and one of the biggest reasons is because of texting.
Why is their such a need to text people. Many times I have seen teenagers out to dinner with a parent or adult and they are not talking to them, instead they are texting friends. Are teens losing the ability to talk to adults, and even further isolating themselves from people. It seems that people that are 25 and older are completely comfortable talking and starting conversations with people. They are very social and like talking to new people face to face. Yet that’s does not seem like the case in teens.
Kids at younger and younger ages are getting cell phones. There are kids that are barley teens that are begging their parents for phones. What is a 12 year old going to do with a cell phone? Yet so many young kids have cell phones. If kids are getting cell phones at younger ages then they are going to start being more anti-social and distant from adults even younger. They don’t need to talk to the people around them when they can just sit there and text their best friends instead. Texting is having a negative effect on teens social skills.
Social skills are an important thing to have. When teenagers get older and are looking for a job they are going to have to be able to have good social skills and be able to talk to people. Not use their cell phones to talk. The language that they use in texting has started to become how teens talk. They use the first letter of every word or other short hand ways of talking. Again by talking with short hand to people that are older then them, most of the time the adult has no idea what the person is saying. If teens continue to use short hand to talk then they are going to keep isolating themselves even more from adults.
The biggest thing that has changed is the way that adults talk and the way that teens talk. People over 25 didn’t grow up with cell phones. Adults have more social skills then it seems that teens have. Now younger teens are growing up with cell phones and the ability to text others instead of engaging and interacting with other people in public or in social situations. This is creating a new generation of people that are more anti-social and isolated from others.
Are videogames really violent?
By Heather Martin
Videogames have become increasingly popular over the past ten years. Since the release of the first videogame system called the Odyssey there have been many new systems released and thousands of different games. There are games that appeal to people of all ages from young children to adults. However, ever since the release of the videogame “Doom” in 1993 there has been lots of controversy on whether videogames are violent and cause children to become more aggressive and violent.
Videogames, like movies, have ratings. The ratings are to show what videogames are suitable for which age group. They have ratings for young children through adults. The ratings are listed on the front of every videogame box. The ratings start at early childhood and end with adult. EC for Early Childhood, which has content for children, ages 3 and up and would have no material that is inappropriate. E for everyone contains content for children 6 and up. These games would be suitable for any age group. T for teen has content for children 13 and up. Some games in this category may contain violent content, and some inappropriate language. M for mature, has content for children 17 and up. They may include more violence and language also, sexual content. AO for adults only, contains content for adults only. They may include more sexual content, violence and language usage. Only people over the age of 18 would be able to purchase videogames rated AO. These ratings are to give guidelines for what each game contains and what ones would be appropriate for what age group.
Are videogames to blame for children’s violent behavior? According to an article by Karen Sternheimer many critics believe that videogames cause school shootings such as the shootings in Kentucky, Oregon and Colorado. Each of the shooters responsible for the shootings had one thing in common; they all played the videogame “Doom.” It is argued that there are many things that could cause children to become violent. Feeling isolated at school, not having a lot of friends, depression. Videogames are not necessarily the only reason for violence in children.
As videogames are continuing to appeal to more adults they are becoming more violent. It’s hard to monitor everything a child sees or hears. A kid could be at a friend’s house and see an older sibling playing a violent videogame and then want to play or go home and ask their parents for the same game. Violence is more easily stored in a child’s memory then something less violent. Children think it is cool that you can fire a gun at the television and “kill” the opponent. It’s all fun and games when you can beat up other characters and receive points to get to the next level. By playing the videogames children can interact by controlling each move that they make using a joystick. By just watching the television there is no interaction you just sit there and watch it. With videogames young children don’t fully understand the difference between fantasy and reality. They might think playing the game is fun because it is all just pretend but kids are unaware of the real violence.
The video game industry will continue to make these violent videogames as long as people are interested in purchasing them. It doesn’t matter what the ratings of the game are as long as the graphics are good and the games are exciting to play. Newer versions of each game come out so often that it is hard to keep up with all of them. They even have videogames based on wars and fighting in them. The graphics keep improving as the games become gorier it’s almost like you are actually there and fighting. Once you have beat one game you need to have the next version. The videogames are probably not going to get less violent in fact the violence is probably going to continue to increase until it hits a point where no one is interested in playing them anymore.
mwalsh @ April 10, 2008