“I’m only a dog!” : the Rwandan genocide, dehumanisation and the graphic novel

Graphic novels written in response to the 1994 Rwandan genocide do not confine their depictions of traumatic violence to humans, but extend their coverage to show how the genocide impacted on animals and the environment. Through analysis of the presentation of people and their relationships with other species across a range of graphic narratives, this article shows how animal imagery was used to justify inhumane actions during the genocide, and argues that representations of animals remain central to the recuperation processes in a post-genocide context too. Whilst novels and films that respond to the genocide have been the focus of scholarly work (Dauge-Roth, 2010), the graphic novel has yet to receive substantial critical attention. This article therefore unlocks the archive of French-, Dutch- and English-language graphic narratives written in response to the genocide by providing the first in-depth, comparative analysis of their animal representations. It draws on recent methodological approaches derived from philosophy (Derrida, [2008] trans. 2009), postcolonial ecocriticism (Huggan and Tiffin, 2010) and postcolonial trauma theory (Craps, 2012) in order show how human-centred strategies for recovery, and associated symbolic orders that forcefully position the animal outside of human law, continue to engender unequal and potentially violent relationships between humans, and humans and other species. In this way, graphic narratives that gesture towards more equitable relationships between humans, animals and the environment can be seen to support the processes of recovery and reconciliation in post-genocide Rwanda

Synthesis, Characterization and Surface Properties of Amidosulfobetaine Surfactants Bearing Odd-Number Hydrophobic Tail

Three amidosulfobetaine surfactants were synthesized namely: 3‐(N‐pentadecanamidopropyl‐N,N‐dimethyl ammonium) propanesulfonate (2a); 3‐(N‐heptadecanamidopropyl‐N,N‐dimethyl ammonium) propanesulfonate (2b), and 3‐(N‐nonadecanamidopropyl‐N,N‐dimethyl ammonium) propanesulfonate (2c). These surfactants were prepared by direct amidation of commercially available fatty acids with 3‐(dimethylamino)‐1‐propylamine and subsequent reaction with 1,3‐propanesultone to obtain quaternary ammonium salts. The synthesized surfactants were characterized by IR, NMR and mass spectrometry. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results showed that the synthesized surfactants have excellent thermal stability with no major thermal degradation below 300 °C. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) values of the surfactants 2a and 2b were found to be 2.2 × 10−4 and 1.04 × 10−4 mol/L, and the corresponding surface tension (γCMC) values were 33.14 and 34.89 mN m−1, respectively. The surfactants exhibit excellent surface properties, which are comparable with conventional surfactants. The intrinsic viscosity of surfactant (2b) was studied at various temperatures and concentrations of multi‐component brine solution. The plot of natural logarithm of relative viscosity versus surfactant concentration obtained from Higiro et al. model best fit the surfactant behavior. Due to good salt resistance, excellent surface properties and thermal stability, the synthesized surfactant has potential to be used in various oil field applications such as enhanced oil recovery, fracturing, acid diversion, and well stimulation.Scopu