Anathematized and outlawed by African nationalism early in the postcolonial period, ethnicity has now eclipsed nationalism. It has proved by far the most potent force for political mobilization. The studies in this volume provide ample evidence of this potency of ethnicity. The authors focus on ethnicity's relationship to the state and try to account for the twists...

This is a review of scholarly interpretations of the 1974 Ethiopian Revolution and its aftermath, that is, the regime it brought to power. It covers studies written during the life of that regime by Ethiopian and foreign scholars, and focuses on their interpretation rather than description, and specifically on their views on certain key issues. These include the na...