The politics of ethnicity in Ethiopia : : actors, power and mobilisation under ethnic federalism / / by Lovise Aalen.

• Superior document: African social studies series ; v. 25
• TeilnehmendeR: Aalen, Lovise.
• Year of Publication: 2011
• Language: English
• Series: African social studies series ; v. 25.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (230 p.)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

Most governments in Africa, seeing the political mobilisation of ethnicity as a threat, have rejected the use of ethnic differences as an explicit basis for political representation. The one prominent exception is Ethiopia, which since 1991 has imposed a system of ethnic-based federalism that offers each ethnic group the right of ‘self-determination’. This book provides a detailed empirical study of this system at work in the complex multiethnic environment of southern Ethiopia. It finds that ethnic self-rule, in combination with the power politics of an authoritarian regime, has produced both intended and unintended outcomes. While arguably easing large-scale ethnic conflicts, it has led to ‘ethnicisation’ of local socioeconomic disputes and to sharper inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic divides, often to the disadvantage of historically marginalised groups.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material / L. Aalen -- Chapter One. Introduction: The Limits Of Institutions In Multiethnic Societies / L. Aalen -- Chapter Two. ‘National Self-Determination’: Federalism The Ethiopian Way / L. Aalen -- Chapter Three. The Historical Trajectories Of Local Ethnic Polities: The Sidama And The Wolayta / L. Aalen -- Chapter Four. Ethnic Politics In Play: Implementing Self-Determination In A South Ethiopian Context / L. Aalen -- Chapter Five. Crafting Ethnic Politics: The Formation Of Parties In Sidama And Wolayta / L. Aalen -- Chapter Six. Dealing With Local Minorities: The Persistence Of Discriminatory Practices Under Ethnic Federalism / L. Aalen -- Chapter Seven. Identities Or Resources At Stake? Controversies On National Self-Determination In Sidama And Wolayta / L. Aalen -- Chapter Eight. Conclusion: The Facets Of Ethnic Federalism / L. Aalen -- References / L. Aalen -- Index / L. Aalen.