Ethnic Federalism: The Ethiopian Experience in Comparative Perspective (Eastern African Studies) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 085255897X ISBN 13: 9780852558973

Publisher: James Currey, 2006

Synopsis

Since 1991, Ethiopia has gone further than any other country in using ethnicity as the fundamental organizing principle of a federal system of government. And yet this pioneering experiment in 'ethnic federalism' has been largely ignored in the growing literature on democratization and ethnicity in Africa and on the accommodation of ethnic diversity in democratic states. Apart from giving close examination to aspects of the Ethiopian case, the book asks why the use of territorial decentralization to accommodate ethnic differences has been generally unpopular in Africa, while it is growing in popularity in the West. The book includes case studies of Nigerian and Indian federalism and suggests how Ethiopia might learn from both the failures and successes of these older federations. In the light of these broader issues and cases, it identifies the main challenges facing Ethiopia over the next few years, as it struggles to bring political practice into line with constitutional theory, and thereby achieve a genuinely federal division of powers.

About this title

Review:

The volume successfully gives insight into the experiment of ethnic federalism in Ethiopia and is relevant for scholars interested in institutional design in ethnically diverse societies. --Katherine Holden in JOURNAL OF PEACE RESEARCH

Synopsis:

Since 1991, Ethiopia has gone further than any other country in using ethnicity as the fundamental organizing principle of a federal system of government. And yet this pioneering experiment in 'ethnic federalism' has been largely ignored in the growing literature on democratization and ethnicity in Africa and on the accommodation of ethnic diversity in democratic states. The aim of this book is to bring a much needed comparative dimension to the discussion of Ethiopian federalism. Apart from giving close examination to aspects of the Ethiopian case, the book asks why the use of territorial decentralization to accommodate ethnic differences has been generally unpopular in Africa, while it is growing in popularity in the West. The book includes case studies of Nigerian and Indian federalism and suggests how Ethiopia might learn from both the failures and successes of these older federations. In the light of these broader issues and cases, it identifies the main challenges facing Ethiopia over the next few years, as it struggles to bring political practice into line with constitutional theory, and thereby achieve a genuinely federal division of powers.

About this edition

• Publisher: James Currey
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 085255897X
• ISBN 13: 9780852558973
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256
• Editor: Turton David