Ethiopian Identity in the Post-1991 New Nation Building Process

The new nation-building thesis ¿ unity in diversity ¿ instituted since 1991 by the incumbent leftist government of Ethiopia marks a historical departure from its predecessors and, probably, no topic other than citizenship identity creates a big gulf among Ethiopian scholars, politicians and ordinary citizens. The institutionalization of ethnic identity as a central political thesis and the subordination of citizenship identity have finally created ethnocentric sentiments in almost all walks of life which led the country to the verge of disintegration. This book has conceptualized and operationalized Ethiopian identity in a multicultural context through the lenses of the formal education system curriculum and students¿ attachment to the values, symbols and traditions represented in the curricula. The book analyzes different perspectives and empirical evidences on the role of formal education in nation-building and its findings have policy implications from which government authorities, policy makers, curriculum developers, political educators, historians, sociologists and ordinary citizens in the underdeveloped, developing and developed world have a number of lessons to learn from.