Democratisation, security and violent ethnopolitical conflicts in post-2018 Ethiopia An assessment of their interface

Abstract

Since 2018, two seemingly contrasting realities have surfaced in the Ethiopian political landscape. On the one hand, the big-bang political reforms in the country have bought acclaim from both within and outside of the country. On the other hand, the country has been rocked by violent ethnopolitical conflicts, arguably as never seen before in terms of their intensity and frequency. Based on extensive insight gathered from the existing literature and an interpretative approach, this article examines how the theoretical debate on democratisation, security and violent conflict has unfolded in the contemporary Ethiopian context. Settling the national and regional questions, bargaining between the autocratic elites and the opposition, and co-optation of the old by the new elites are scrutinised as a way forward.