Towards Building Stability in a Multiethnic/national Society

Transforming protracted social conflicts in a
complex society requires localised three-level
knowledge: historical contexts of conflicts, deeper
understanding of the current conflicts, and social
capital. Such a study is few in Ethiopia. This
area-based study of Sidaamaland complements the
general studies of conflicts in Ethiopia and the
Horn of Africa. The study in this book shows the
absence of meaningful participatory structures, and
the insufficiency of top-down approach in addressing
the socio-economic, political and security needs of
the Ethiopian peoples. The horizontal unpeaceful
relations in Sidaamaland are a spill-over of the
unresolved vertical protracted conflicts, and are
not from old ethnic hatred. Basically, the
communities in conflict raise more or less similar
issues, but lack of the use of avenues for dialogue
between them causes misperceptions. Given the
existing local social capital and national
provisions, the current conflicts in Ethiopia need
not be violent. Students in Conflict Resolution and
culture and all who are interested in conflict
transformation of the Horn region should find this
work helpful.

Autorentext

Licentiate in Biblical Theology (STL) from Weston Jesuit School of Theology, Cambridge, MA; PhD in Politics from Lancaster University, UK.

Klappentext

Transforming protracted social conflicts in a complex society requires localised three-level knowledge: historical contexts of conflicts, deeper understanding of the current conflicts, and social capital. Such a study is few in Ethiopia. This area-based study of Sidaamaland complements the general studies of conflicts in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. The study in this book shows the absence of meaningful participatory structures, and the insufficiency of top-down approach in addressing the socio-economic, political and security needs of the Ethiopian peoples. The horizontal unpeaceful relations in Sidaamaland are a spill-over of the unresolved vertical protracted conflicts, and are not from 'old ethnic hatred.' Basically, the communities in conflict raise more or less similar issues, but lack of the use of avenues for dialogue between them causes misperceptions. Given the existing local social capital and national provisions, the current conflicts in Ethiopia need not be violent. Students in Conflict Resolution and culture and all who are interested in conflict transformation of the Horn region should find this work helpful.