War, Ethnicity, and Religion in Contemporary Ethiopia

Since the downfall of the governing coalition in 2018, Ethiopia has been transformed by a series of intense civil conflicts. Ethnic tensions, an exploding population of young people who lack economic opportunities, increasingly tense religiosity, and the legacy of Cold War policies and ideologies are all dynamics found not only in Ethiopia but much more widely in the developing world today. Yet the distinctive combination of these social, cultural, and historical forces in Ethiopia helps shine a light on the country’s unique past, its unsettled present, and its uncertain future. This interdisciplinary collection of essays explores the social and political causes of these conflicts as well as their profoundly violent effects.