Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Struggle And Martyrdom: Abusive Power And Root Narrative In The Aftermath Of The Eritrean Revolution, Solon Simmons

Peace and Conflict Studies

In this paper I have applied root narrative theory to the case of conflict in Eritrea, a small African country along the Red Sea that has been embroiled in conflict with its neighbors and the international community on and off since at least 1961. Examining a small sample of representative texts from the government of Eritrea and from international critics of the regime, I demonstrate that these parties—different moral languages that make it almost impossible for each side to see the point of view of the other. Using the semiotic structure of the story system implied by root narrative theory …