Examination of Ethiopia’s Ethnic Federalism from Intercultural and Multicultural Perspectives
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Date
2019-02
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Addis ababa University
Abstract
Ethiopia adopted ethnic-based federalism since 1991 when the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) took power from the military junta. This party (EPRDF) has been established through the coalition of different parties, but it was highly dominated by one party the Tigrian Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF). EPRDF tried to adopt a federal system by dividing regional units along ethnic lines. Currently, Ethiopia’s ethnic-based federalism can’t solve the questions of different ethnic groups. Conceptually, ethnic federalism by itself does not affect the interethnic relations of groups. It is possible to establish a democratic multiethnic state through the ethnic-based federal system. Recognizing of ethnic identity to form a federal system cannot affect the interethnic relations of different groups; but this requires adequate democratic and multicultural institutions to protect the identities of individuals and groups. Currently, the issue of national or group identity is a universal phenomenon that most states are facing. Thus, all states must manage this issue in a democratic way. The Ethiopian ethnic federalism is simply adopted by the will of EPRDF without the participation of others. It is adopted without constructing democratic institutions to solve issues of inequalities, injustices that different ethnic groups raised. Furthermore, it is established without considering the ‘ethnic-consciousness’ of the citizens. Thus, it is important to build democratic and multicultural institutions to resolve these issues, and to build the feeling of commonality among different ethnic groups. Intercultural and multicultural perspectives are important to build these institutions and to accommodate and integrate the interest of different groups.
This thesis examines Ethiopia’s ethnic federalism from the perspectives of interculturalism and multiculturalism. Intercultural and multicultural perspectives use to create a society that accepts and respects the cultures, values, and ideas of other groups. It also uses to balance individual and group rights in multiethnic states. For Ethiopia, it is important to adopt these perspectives in order to solve the current ethnic group conflicts and to accommodate the ethnic federal system. Additionally, it is important to create multicultural citizenship and a multicultural Ethiopian state. Methodologically, this thesis uses information gathered from books, articles, and other materials.
Key Words: Federalism, Ethiopia, ethnic federalism, democracy, interculturalism, multiculturalism, multicultural citizenship.
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Keywords
Federalism, Ethiopia, ethnic federalism, democracy, interculturalism, multiculturalism, multicultural citizenship