Genocide in Contemporary Children's and Young Adult Literature

This book studies children's and young adult literature of genocide since 1945, considering issues of representation and using postcolonial theory to provide both literary analysis and implications for educating the young. Many of the authors visited accurately and authentically portray the genocide about which they write; others perpetuate stereotypes or otherwise distort, demean, or oversimplify. In this focus on young people's literature of specific genocides, Gangi profiles and critiques works on the Cambodian genocide (1975-1979); the Iraqi Kurds (1988); the Maya of Guatemala (1981-1983); Bosnia, Kosovo, and Srebrenica (1990s); Rwanda (1994); and Darfur (2003-present). In addition to critical analysis, each chapter also provides historical background based on the work of prominent genocide scholars. To conduct research for the book, Gangi traveled to Bosnia, engaged in conversation with young people from Rwanda, and spoke with scholars who had traveled to or lived in Guatemala and Cambodia. This book analyses the ways contemporary children, typically ages ten and up, are engaged in the study of genocide, and addresses the ways in which child survivors who have witnessed genocide are helped by literature that mirrors their experiences.

Jane M. Gangi, PhD, is an Associate Professor at Mount Saint Mary College, USA.

Introduction: Approaching Children's and Young Adult Literature of Genocide 1. Children's and Young Adult Literature of Cambodia 2.Children's and Young Adult Literature of Guatemala and Kurdish Iraq 3. Children's and Young Adult Literature of Bosnia and Kosovo 4. Children's and Young Adult Literature of Rwanda, written with Isabelle Umugwaneza 5. Children's and Young Adult Literature of Darfur 6. Comprehensive Texts on Genocide for Children and Young Adults 7. Teaching Genocide 8. Conclusion: Resisting the Lie