[afro-nets] Study on individuals and nations trauma, memory and healing

[Katherine Zhao <wzhao1@wellesley.edu>]

Study on individuals and nations trauma, memory and healing
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Dear whomever this may concern:

Hope your week is going well! I would like to post this, except
I am not sure how to word it, please advise:

I am a graduating senior from Wellesley College in the U.S. who
is interested in applying for the Watson fellowship to examine
trauma, memory and healing in Rwanda, Cambodia and either Aus-
tralia or Guatemala. The Watson fellowship provides one year of
funding to travel abroad and pursue an independent study that
deviates from the beaten path of pure academic study.

How do individuals and nations recover from a traumatic experi-
ence? What are some of their stories, silences, memories and
shattered dreams as they continue the spectacle of life? How can
we commit such violence against each other, and how can we un-
derstand what seems to be at times incomprehensible? I hope to
look at these questions by immersing myself firsthand in the en-
vironment, listening to survivors stories, visiting old sites or
volunteering with organizations dedicated to reconcilation and
healing.

With the Watson, I don't have to associate myself with one in-
stitution or organization, indeed what I am hoping to do is ob-
serve the activities of the gacaca as well as the programs of
many organizations and speak to some of the people involved, in-
cluding listening to survivors stories. If the organizers would
like to, I will be more than happy to volunteer for them for a
short period as well but it is not necessary for organizations
to take on a great deal of responsibility to host me. At this
point, I would like to stay about 4 months in Rwanda, possibly
longer, and ultimately capture my experiences in a book or in
the form of a documentary.

This a truly meaningful project to me that I feel have important
implications, but it cannot be realized by my efforts alone. If
there are any organizations, or individuals who would not mind
me observing some of their programs, such as reconciliation
workshops that are dedicated to reconciliation, and/or talking
to them about their work for a little bit, please let me know.

All best,

Katherine Zhao
Wellesley College '05
International Relations & Psychology
Tel.: +1-781-283-7803
mailto:wzhao1@wellesley.edu