Ethiopian Journal of Social Sciences

Military Expedition of Emperor Tekle Giorgis I to Wolqayt, Northwestern Ethiopia

Israel Arage — 2025-05-29

A Historical Study on the Properties of the Royal Family in Begémedir and Semén Teklay Gizat (Province): 1941-1974

Geremew Eskezia — 2025-05-29

The former Begémdir and Semén Teklay Gizat (province) was a key source of wealth for the royal family between 1941 and 1974. Despite its significance, studies on royal properties remain scarce. This research examines the conditions and significance of these properties during that period. Both primary and secondary sources were utilized, with archival materials from the former North Gondar Zone administration office proving particularly valuable. Data were carefully selected, cross-checked, described, and interpreted. The findings indicate that the royal family, and high-ranking government and military officials connected to them through marriage, leveraged their positions to amass wealth through land, housing, and the expanding commercial activities in Gondar. To manage the properties acquired from the Teklay Gizat, they relied on local agents, representatives, and overseers. The analysis highlights the strategies employed by the royal family and their agents in managing these assets and discusses the broader implications of such practices for understanding the interplay between property, power, and local development during the late imperial era of Ethiopia.

Keywords: Royal properties, Overseers, Land, Housing, Property management

Evaluation of the Ethiopian Grade 9 Geography Textbook

Abey Admasu Dubale — 2025-05-29

Textbooks play a critical role in the teaching and learning process as well as in quality of education. It is also important in determining course content and influencing students’ impressions of a discipline. Therefore, to make the textbook suitable for the teaching and learning process, further improvements of the textbook is necessary. Moreover, textbooks must be assessed and evaluated continuously. Textbook evaluation plays an important role by collecting data in such a way that textbooks can afford students the chance to learn from teachers and to incorporate relevant content into textbook design and development. The main purpose of this evaluation was to assess the Ethiopian grade 9, geography textbook. The study used a mixed methods research design. Both primary and secondary data were the main source of data employed by the study. The study also used a checklist and interview as instruments of data collection. Thus, whenever syllabus and textbook are articulated, they should include all domains of objectives and the proportions across all chapters should be taken into consideration. The contents in four chapters of the grade 9 geography textbook are aligned with the aims laid down in the relevant syllabus prepared at the national level. The content included in the textbook is current. The ideas presented in the textbook are coherent. Though there are sufficient teaching aids, almost all the teaching aids available in the textbook are visual. Findings and results are depicted via tables and graphs. Weaknesses encountered in the textbook are presented with the possible solutions. It has been concluded that the assessment encouraged learns to develop only rote memorization of the subject matter, but much emphasis is not given to the development of higher-order thinking skills.

Keywords: Assessment techniques; Course content; Instructional objectives; Instructional strategies; Textbook evaluation

Challenges of nation building in Ethiopia: Focus on the authoritarian nature of political regimes' since 1930s

Yideg Munana Negash — 2025-05-29

This study examines the adverse impact of Ethiopia's entrenched authoritarian political regimes on the nation-building process. Nation-building, shaped by historical, political, economic, and social factors has faced persistent challenges in Ethiopia across various regimes. The research employed a qualitative approach, using critical analysis of secondary data sources. The findings reveal that authoritarianism, mainly rooted in the political elite’s efforts to centralize power, has consistently hindered Ethiopia’s efforts to build a cohesive nation. These political regimes have often justified their dominance by invoking the need to combat regionalism and promote a unified national identity. However, the study’s comparative analysis, drawing on cases such as Switzerland, highlights that successful nation-building hinges on principles like social justice, inclusiveness, individual freedom, and political settlement – principles largely absent in Ethiopia's political landscape. The political elite’s imposition of authority by force, alongside societal tendencies to either support the regime or disengage politically, has fueled recurrent rebellions, prolonged conflicts, and external vulnerabilities. These factors have significantly undermined Ethiopia's nation-building efforts. The enduring authoritarian culture remains a significant barrier to contemporary nation-building, underscoring the need for transformative governance and political culture.

Keywords: Authoritarianism, Ethiopia, Nation-building, political culture, Regime,

Preparation and utilization of compost and implication for selected crop productivity: The case of Guagusa Shikudad District, Northwest Ethiopia

Lakachew Ayenew Gebeyehu — 2025-05-29

The deterioration of soil fertility is a significant issue in Ethiopia's agricultural sector. Organic fertilizers, particularly compost, can enhance soil fertility; however, compost preparation and utilization remain limited. This study aimed to identify the determinants of compost preparation and its implications for crop productivity in Guagusa Shikudad Disctict. Using a cross-sectional research design, data were collected from 124 households through surveys and interviews with agricultural experts. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics including t-tests, one way ANOVA, Chi-square test, and binary logistic regression modeling. The results indicated that factors such as age, education, composting materials, farmer perception, economic status, extension services, farming experience, family size, and farm size significantly influenced compost preparation and utilization. The binary logistic regression model identified positive determinants (age, education, input availability, perception, economic level, extension support, farming experience, and family size) and a negative determinant (farm size). This variation was tested using a one-way ANOVA, yielding a statistically significant result (p < 0.05), which indicates a significant difference between users and non-users of compost. The results, moreover, indicate that compost utilization significantly enhances crop production and productivity. It is recommended that the district’s agricultural office and stakeholders promote compost preparation and utilization among smallholder farmers through continuous capacity building and extension services.

Keywords: Adoption, Compost utilization, Crop productivity, Farming experience, Farm size, Guagusa Shikudad district

Dealing with non-state armed groups for regional stabilization: A focus on Al-Shabaab

Tadie Degie Yigzaw — 2025-05-29

Non-state armed groups, exemplified by Al-Shabaab in Somalia, continue to pose a profound threat to both regional and global security, with the group’s resilience and adaptability undermining conventional military and counterterrorism responses. Despite ongoing efforts – including military operations, counterterrorism initiatives, and attempts to address underlying drivers – Al-Shabaab has maintained its operational capacity, exploiting governance vacuums and leveraging local grievances to sustain influence and territorial control. This article adopts a multifaceted theoretical lens, drawing on realism, institutionalism, and constructivism, to analyze the complex interplay of political, social, and economic factors that perpetuate Al-Shabaab’s role as a destabilizing force. Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative approach, integrating empirical evidence with theoretical insights to provide a nuanced understanding of the group’s persistence. Key findings indicate that strategies narrowly focused on military or security measures have yielded only limited and often temporary gains, while occasionally exacerbating local tensions and instability. For policymakers, the study underscores the critical importance of prioritizing dialogue, negotiation, and the development of inclusive, transparent governance structures in Somalia. Sustainable progress against Al-Shabaab, the findings suggest, requires a holistic and adaptable strategy that is deeply informed by local context and the root causes of conflict, offering actionable guidance for national and international actors seeking to promote lasting stability in the Horn of Africa.

Keywords: Al-Shabaab, Dealing with armed groups, Non-state armed groups, Regional stabilization, Somalia

The Representation of Ethiopian History in Secondary School History Textbooks (1979-2000)

Yimegnutal Nibret Workye — 2025-05-29

The main purpose of this study is to analyze the representation of Ethiopian history in secondary school history textbooks from 1979, with a focus on the Derg regime (1974–1991) and the early years of the EPRDF until 2000. Using qualitative content analysis of textbooks, curricula, and educational policy documents, the study reveals a history education shaped to align with socialist ideology, emphasizing class struggle while vilifying the pre-revolutionary periods of Ethiopia. Significant historical achievements, such as the Victory of Adwa, were undermined, promoting discord among people instead of fostering unity. The textbooks prioritized global socialist narratives over Ethiopian history, distorting events, excluding significant periods, and disregarding contributions of modern Ethiopian leaders such as Emperor Menelik II and Haile Selassie I. Moreover, the Marxist history curriculum relegated its role of fostering national cohesion and critical thinking by neglecting Ethiopian history and its unifying power.

Keywords: Community cohesion, History education, Marxist historiography, Objectivity, State ideology

The Oromo movement and imperial politics: Culture and ideology in Oromia and Ethiopia. By Asafa Jalata. New York: Lexington Books, 2020. XII +197. ISBN 978-1-7936-0337-1

Shumet Amare Zeleke — 2025-05-29