History

The History of the Ethiopian Army

The History of the Ethiopian Army

Richard Pankhurst made innumerable contributions to the history of Ethiopia. I found an original copy of “An Introduction fo the History of the Ethiopian Army”, published by the Imperial Ethiopian Air Force, 101st Training Centre, in 1967. The Forward (of only 2 pages) by Colonel Aberra Wolde Mariam provide interesting insight into the thinking of […]

Tags: #Army #Ethiopia #Ethiopian Army #History #Pankhurst

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Land Tenure in Eritrea (1966)

Land Tenure in Eritrea (1966)

An earlier post highlighted the first land tenure survey in Ethiopia, this post presents “Land Tenure in Eritrea (Ethiopia)” (1966) by Ambaye Zekarias. This publication is part of a broader set of literature that emerged during the 1960s (see broader literature here, with historical studies being a particular strength). The forward of this particular book […]

Tags: #Eritrea #Ethiopia #History #Land #Tenure

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The History of Ethiopian – Indian Relations

The History of Ethiopian – Indian Relations

This may not be the most rigorous of historical books, but given it was published in 1961, in Ethiopia, “Indo-Ethiopian Relations for Centuries” by Muthanna is a unique find. The first 70-odd pages present some rather tenuous linkages between the two areas, and  ome rather bizarre claims that Ethiopians (and Egyptians) are descendants of Indians […]

Tags: #Ethiopia #History #India #Indo-Ethiopian #Relations

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Wichale: The Attempt to Establish a Protectorate over Ethiopia

Wichale: The Attempt to Establish a Protectorate over Ethiopia

On May 2, 1889, Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia and Count Pietro Antonelli of Italy signed the Treaty of Wichale. Menelik had a relatively long relationship with Italy in his rise to power, and the Italians supported him as he sought to become Emperor. The Treaty of Wichale, according to the Italian version, gave Italy […]

Tags: #Ethiopia #History #Menelik II #Sven Rubenson #Wichale

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Ethiopia: Victorious Struggle Against Fascism

Ethiopia: Victorious Struggle Against Fascism

The Derg / military government era of Ethiopia (1974-1991) is often glossed over as a terrible period, epitomized by the ‘red terror’ that rooted out any opposition and eliminated it. As a result, while there is much documentation on the atrocities, less is known about the rest of the social, political, ideological and legal aspects. […]

Tags: #Derg #Ethiopia #Fascism #History #Ministry of Information

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A History of Modern Ethiopia

A History of Modern Ethiopia

Bahru Zewde has penned some excellent books: The Challenge of Democracy from Below (2002), Pioneers of Change (2002) and The Quest for Socialist Utopia (2014). This post covers “A History of Modern Ethiopia 1855-1991” (originally published in 1991, second edition in 2001). Richard Pankhurst, one of the great historians for Ethiopia, described Bahru Zewde as […]

Tags: #Bahru Zewde #Ethiopia #History #Italian legacy #Iyyasu

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Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance

Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance

Institutions have (re)emerged as a popular topic in development studies, particularly after Why Nations Fail (2012). However, the study of institutions and institutional change should trace back to key work of Douglass C. North, namely the 1990 book “Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance”. Given several decades have passed, parts of the book are less […]

Tags: #Douglass C. North #Economics #History #Institutional change #Institutions

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Tewodros of Ethiopia

Tewodros of Ethiopia

The history department of Haile Sellassie I University published some excellent works, unfortunately many of these books are difficult to find. I came across “King of Kings: Tewodros of Ethiopia” (1966) by Sven Rubenson not too long ago. The book is short, but a treasure trove of insight as well as direction to unconventional sources […]

Tags: #Ethiopia #Ethiopian state #History #Regime change #Tewodros

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From Poverty to Famine in Ethiopia

From Poverty to Famine in Ethiopia

Rural live in Ethiopian history is largely absent in the historical record – historians are able to work with a wealth of material from the long written record in the country, but these tends to only reflect a small segment of society. James McCann’s “From Poverty to Famine in Northeast Ethiopia: A Rural History 1900-1935” […]

Tags: #Ethiopia #Famine #History #Poverty #Resistance

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Imagining Ethiopia – Identity in the Horn

Imagining Ethiopia – Identity in the Horn

John Sorenson’s “Imagining Ethiopia: Struggles for History and Identity in the Horn of Africa” (1993) presents portrayals of Ethiopia – domestic and foreign, historical and present – and in some ways is similar to “Famine and Foreigners” (2010) by Gill. The book is partially about identity, but more about portrayals and perceptions of Ethiopia, Ethiopians, […]

Tags: #Eritrea #Ethiopia #History #Identity #Narrative

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