Subconscious Conflict: The Impact of Social Homogeneity and Hate Speech on Civilian Participation in the Rwandan Genocide
Public Deposited- Last Modified
- February 26, 2019
- Creator
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Walsh, Corie E.
- Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Curriculum in Peace, War, and Defense
- Abstract
- This research is concentrated on civilian behavior at the community or village level, and the way that social interactions influence a person’s decision in crisis. There is a wide range of opinions, even controversy, on the role that social homogeneity plays in conflict. Many of these causal mechanisms vary at the level of conflict operationalization whether it be international, the state, counties, or villages. At the state level, socially homogeneous societies are successful, since homogeneity and conformity limit conflict. There is research at the community level suggesting that social diversity encourages individuals to question authority. The research discussed here will only address social homogeneity at the sector or village level, which averages a population of 5,000. The study of hate speech and propaganda is far less controversial. There is general consensus that propaganda impacts decision-making; the question is to what degree. This research argues that hate speech is a key step in creating a strong national narrative to garner civilian support for genocidal violence. I hypothesize that high levels of social homogeneity and hate speech will lead to high levels of civilian participation in violence. This is tested through a quantitative and qualitative exploration of the relationship between the social homogeneity and hate speech. The discovered relationship is statistically significant, and reinforces the original hypothesis. This research discovers an interesting relationship between the two independent variables that calls for further extensive research.
- Date of publication
- spring 2016
- Keyword
- DOI
- Resource type
- Rights statement
- In Copyright
- Note
- Funding: None
- Advisor
- Crescenzi, Mark J. C.
- Degree
- Bachelor of Arts
- Honors level
- Honors
- Degree granting institution
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Extent
- 84
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