Zoë Berman

Zoë Berman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies and a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Michigan Society of Fellows at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on generational memory, transitional justice, and postcolonial theory in Rwanda. She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Human Development from the University of Chicago (2024).

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Chicago Department of Comparative Human Development (2024)

Research Interests: Berman examines how Rwandan youth navigate ethnic identity, memory of conflict, and state-driven reconciliation. Her book project explores youth agency in redefining 'Rwandanness' post-genocide. Ongoing work includes a study on Rwanda’s mental health sector post-1994, co-developed with Rwandan social science collaborators.

Publications & Awards: Her work appears in African Studies Review and Home Grown Solutions. Supported by grants from Fulbright, Wenner Gren, NSF, and the Rwandan National Commission Against Genocide.

Grants & Collaborations: Berman’s research integrates ethnographic fieldwork and interdisciplinary partnerships. Her 2023 article critiques transitional justice frameworks in Rwanda, while earlier work (2014) highlights intergenerational dialogue’s role in healing.