Interpreting contemporary Oromo politics in Ethiopia: an ethnographic approach

Østebø, Terje; Tronvoll, Kjetil

doi:10.1080/17531055.2020.1796255

Cited by 21 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Pushed forward as a hegemonic project in Ethiopia, the imagination of the king’s two bodies has become deeply engrained in popular culture (see also Hansen and Stepputat, 2001: 28). This idea is manifested, for instance, in religious explanations of sovereign rule that depict rulers as elects of God, thus legitimizing the divine punishment of any who disobey them (Kassa, 2020, Østebø and Tronvoll, 2020).…”

Section: The King and His Political Animalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The right to write counter-histories thereby proved instrumental for a cohesive federalism in Ethiopia—even though this worked at the cost of a single unifying state mythology. Heralded as a radical break with the more unified approach of previous regimes, federalism now allowed ethno-nationalist parties in their respective regions to also legitimize their rule through monuments, opening up the past for a multiplicity of co-existing histories (Emmenegger, 2021; Marzagora, 2017, Østebø and Tronvoll, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The emperor, the lion and the peacock: Monuments and contested state sovereignty in contemporary Ethiopia

Regassa

Emmenegger

2023

Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space

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As a first project launched after his nomination as Ethiopia’s new prime minister in 2018, Abiy Ahmed renovated the Imperial Palace in Ethiopia’s political center, Addis Ababa to turn it into a heritage site of significance for nation-state building. This project was widely interpreted as a sign for the end of authoritarian rule and political tensions in the country. In this paper, we scrutinize the monumentalization inside the palace as an assemblage of of mythical figures – political rulers and animals. In our focus are different statues, which we interpret in the context of Ethiopia’s political history of authoritarian rule, the politics of history, and ongoing ethno-nationalist contestations. On that basis, we demonstrate the strategic significance for Abiy Ahmed of articulating these mythical figures in his attempt to substantiate his sovereignclaim—especially in the context of his regime’s sever legitimacy crisis. Our analysis reveals the palace as a site of cultural and political significance in the broader context of ongoing ethno-nationalist struggles about nation-state authority, representation, legitimacy and history. It contributes to an inherently political understanding of developments of monuments and their significance for state sovereignty, hegemony, and authoritarian rule in Africa and beyond.

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Section: The King and His Political Animalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The emperor, the lion and the peacock: Monuments and contested state sovereignty in contemporary Ethiopia

Regassa

Emmenegger

2023

Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space

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“…The Oromo youth movement that had been crucial in bringing about the political change is called the qeerroo movement. 3 The qeerroo are heterogenous in character and constituted of lots of different factions, some fighting for more regional independence, whilst others advance claims for more power at the federal government level (Østebø & Tronvoll, 2020). Forms of resistance and contestation by the qeerroo have taken a range of different forms, both non-violent and violent, such as stayat-home protests, peaceful demonstrations, riots and ethnic feuds.…”

Section: The Right To the City: Addis Ababa And The Oromo Questionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Whilst the ownership of Addis Ababa, which simultaneously is the country's capital and the seat of the Oromia regional administration, has been a central question for the qeerroo, only on a few occasions have the protests been fought in and around capital. Moreover, ethno-communal violence in the capital city has remained low (Østebø & Tronvoll, 2020;Workneh, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unpacking the Addis Ababan Exceptionalism—Living and Making Sense of Violent Protests in Ethiopia’s Capital

Pellerin

Ashenafi²

2022

Urban Forum

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Violent protests and ethno-communal violence in Ethiopia have been on the rise since 2015. Whilst the country’s capital has mostly been spared, protests have occurred in areas surrounding the capital, its suburbs and, to a lesser extent, even in its city centre. This article aims to answer how Addis Ababa residents make sense of and (dis)engage from/in violent protests and ethno-communal violence where they occur. The article explores the perceptions and experiences of established middle-class residents in the capital, drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted between June 2020 and May 2021. The article finds that, due to the city’s multi-ethnic character and the residents’ strong metropolitan identity, ethnic identity has not constituted a powerful tool for political mobilisation of residents within the capital. Claims based on ethnicity made by non-residents towards the capital’s resources have largely been rejected by Addis Ababans. Instead, residents have collectively defended their right to the city. The federal state’s readiness to intervene in protests in the capital has further discouraged and countered public protests and communal conflicts. The article reveals that, whilst ‘exceptional’ at the first glance, the peaceful normality of Addis Ababa has relied on ignoring conflicts within Ethiopia’s ethnic-based political settlement and has hidden ordinary, everyday forms of structural violence and conflict.

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“…A closer reading of Ethiopian politics reveals that the 'Oromo question' is tied to resisting the assimilationist nation-building project that does not respect multinational federalism. The current discourse of Oromo politics locates the historical question of recentering itself as a 'dominated majority' into the national political landscape and exercising the right to self-rule and developing Oromoness (Holcomb 2019;Østebø and Tronvoll 2020).…”

Section: Identity and Politics Of Remembering And Forgettingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Storytelling through Popular Music: Social Memory, Reconciliation, and Intergenerational Healing in Oromia/Ethiopia

Abebe

2021

Humanities

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Drawing on a popular music video titled ‘Beelbaa’ by a young Oromo artist, Jambo Jote, this article discusses the moments and contexts that compel young people to speak up in subtle and poetic ways. By interpreting the content of the lyrics, doing a visual analysis of the music video, and connecting both to contemporary discourses, it explores how researching social memory through music can be used as a lens to understand Ethiopian society, politics, and history. The article draws attention to alternative spaces of resistance as well as sites of intergenerational connections such as lyrics, music videos, songs, and online discussions. I argue that storytelling through music not only bridges differences on problematic and sometimes highly polarized discourses engendered by selective remembering and forgetting of national history, but that it is also indispensable for reconciliation and peaceful coexistence. Tuning into young people’s music can touch us in ways that are real, immediate, and therapeutic, making it possible for our collective wounds to heal. I further demonstrate that as musical storytelling appeals to multiple generations, it can facilitate mediation, truce, and intergenerational understanding.

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Interpreting contemporary Oromo politics in Ethiopia: an ethnographic approach

Cited by 21 publications

References 16 publications

The emperor, the lion and the peacock: Monuments and contested state sovereignty in contemporary Ethiopia

The emperor, the lion and the peacock: Monuments and contested state sovereignty in contemporary Ethiopia

Unpacking the Addis Ababan Exceptionalism—Living and Making Sense of Violent Protests in Ethiopia’s Capital

Storytelling through Popular Music: Social Memory, Reconciliation, and Intergenerational Healing in Oromia/Ethiopia

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