Historical Narratives and the Politics of Identity: A Comparative Analysis of Hotel Rwanda, Shooting Dogs and Sometimes in April

Identity is a contested construct grounded in various narratives such as history. As a result of that, it appears to have stable and fixed borders. However, characters with multiple identities cross their borders in different contexts to co-exist, hence disavowing the assumed fixity. The study used exploratory research design to explain its findings. Data analysis and presentation was guided by tenets of the theory of nationalism: primordialism; instrumentalism and constructivism by Ernest Gellner (1964) and structuralist film theory by Leo Kuleshov (1920). This study concluded that history is among the multiple narratives that can be used to mark identity. However, identity is a fluid construct that keeps refashioning in different contexts

Film and the Construction of Ethnic Identity and National Difference: A Comparative Analysis of Hotel Rwanda, Shooting Dogs and Sometimes in April

This paper explains the construction of ethnic and national difference using physical traits and the national identity card in selected films. It argues that identity is a fluid construct that is manipulated for different ends. This study was guided by tenets of the theory of nationalism: primordialism; instrumentalism and constructivism by Ernest Gellner (1964) and structuralist film theory by Leo Kuleshov (1920).The study arrived at the following findings: Through primordialism, the study found out that the Hutu construct their nation using  physical traits and the national identity card. Nevertheless, the study concluded that identity is a fluid construct that keeps refashioning in different contexts as seen in the border crossings in the films where Hutu characters cross their ethnic borders and protect the Tutsi during the genocide