Transitional Justice Mechanisms, Collective Memory, and Teacher Narratives

This study examines how Rwandan and Sierra Leonean secondary school teachers negotiate narratives generated by transitional justice mechanisms (TJMs) when teaching histories of violence. TJMs in both countries produced collective memory; yet their integration into national curricula differs. The Rwandan government enforces an official state narrative, whereas Sierra Leone’s limited state mediation gives teachers greater discretion. Informed by 60 teacher interviews and over 20 hours of classroom observation, the study reveals that teachers in both contexts adopt TJM narratives, even when such narratives are absent from official educational materials. Drawing upon literature from the sociology of knowledge, comparative and international education, and memory studies, this article underscores the complex relationship between state power, TJMs, and educator narratives. These findings contribute to a growing body of research on postconflict history education, suggesting that TJMs play a crucial role in how educators understand historical trauma and teach it to future generations.