Memory Politics and Building Multinational States in Africa

'This book makes a major contribution to the field of conflict analysis and resolution by demonstrating how memory and identity shape constitutional design in deeply divided societies. Through a rigorous study of Ethiopia’s 1995 Constitution, it reveals how competing collective memories both enabled and constrained the project of nation-building. The book demonstrates how constitutional texts embody not only legal choices but also contested identities and historical narratives, opening new pathways for understanding why some constitutions heal division while others entrench it. By merging insights from psychology, sociology, political science, and law, it weaves together diverse yet interlinked concepts and theories to explain why achieving a constitution based on broad consensus is often so difficult. A vital resource for scholars, mediators, policymakers, and practitioners engaged in national reconciliation, inclusive dialogue, and peace processes who seek to reconcile memory, identity, and governance—particularly in the context of protracted conflicts. It will also serve as an essential reference for students of memory studies, identity, and constitutional law, offering the conceptual foundations and analytical tools needed to navigate these complex debates.' Karina V. Korostelina, Professor at Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution,George Mason University. 'Ethiopia is a country both blessed and cursed by its competing and often polarizing historical memories. In this book, Ashagrie G. Abdi takes on these socially constructed narratives and their role in shaping the constitutional debates of the mid-1990s. This approach allows us to understand both processes of nation building and the dynamics of deadly internal conflicts. Ethiopia’s 1995 constitution has been the subject of vigorous debate and substantial scholarly interest. In this book Ashgarie provides a new perspective by weaving collective memory into the very heart of the analysis. This approach allows us to see how the making of the constitution shaped notions of identity but, in the end, failed to create a collective memory to which all Ethiopians could ascribe. The issues engaged in the constitutional debates remain at the core of the contemporary Ethiopian crises. Drawing on political science, law, and memory studies, this book will be required reading for scholars of Ethiopia as well as those interested in how historical memories are created and shape political dynamics. Ashagrie offers insights into Ethiopia’s contentious politics but also the wider challenge of governing diversity in deeply divided societies.' Terrence Lyons, Professor at Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University.