Blouin, Arthur and Mukand, Sharun W. (2019) Erasing ethnicity? Propaganda, nation building and identity in Rwanda. Journal of Political Economy, 127 (3). pp. 1008-1062. doi:10.1086/701441 ISSN 0022-3808.

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Abstract

This paper examines whether propaganda broadcast over radio helped to promote nation building and to change inter-ethnic attitudes in postgenocide Rwanda. We exploit variation in exposure to the government’s radio propaganda due to the mountainous topography of Rwanda to investigate possible shifts in ethnic salience, cooperation and inter-ethnic trust. Results of lab-in-the-field experiments show that individuals exposed to government propaganda have lower salience of ethnicity, increased inter-ethnic trust and show more willingness to interact face-to-face with members of another ethnic group. Our results suggest that the observed improvement in inter-ethnic behavior is not cosmetic, and reflects a deeper change in interethnic attitudes. The findings provide some of the first evidence suggesting that the salience of ethnic identity is a socio-political construct that can be manipulated by governments.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > DT Africa H Social Sciences > HE Transportation and Communications
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Radio in propaganda -- Rwanda, Tutsi (African people) -- Attitudes, Hutu (African people) -- Attitudes, Rwanda -- History -- Civil War, 1994 -- Atrocities
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Political Economy
Publisher:	University of Chicago Press
ISSN:	0022-3808
Official Date:	June 2019
Dates:	Date Event June 2019 Published 8 May 2019 Available 30 October 2018 Accepted 1 June 2017 Submitted
Volume:	127
Number:	3
Page Range:	pp. 1008-1062
DOI:	10.1086/701441
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
Date of first compliant deposit:	30 January 2018
Date of first compliant Open Access:	30 October 2019
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:	Project/Grant ID RIOXX Funder Name Funder ID UNSPECIFIED British Academy http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000286 UNSPECIFIED University of Warwick http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000741
Related URLs:	Publisher

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