Making citizens in Africa : ethnicity, gender, and national identity in Ethiopia / / Lahra Smith [[electronic resource]]

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910786998503321
• Autore: Smith Lahra <1974->
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: Cambridge : , : Cambridge University Press, , 2013
• ISBN: 1-107-32714-8; 1-107-33690-2; 1-107-33358-X; 1-107-33524-8; 1-139-54746-1
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (xviii, 252 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)
• Collana: African studies ; ; [125]
• Classificazione: POL040000
• Disciplina: 323.60963
• Soggetti: Citizenship - Social aspects - Ethiopia; Political participation - Social aspects - Ethiopia; Language policy - Ethiopia; Ethiopia Politics and government 1991-; National characteristics, Ethiopian
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Machine generated contents note: Introduction; Part I. The Challenge: Unequal Citizenship: 1. Comparative perspectives on citizen-creation in Africa; 2. The historical context for modern Ethiopian citizenship; Part II. The Response: The State and Its Citizens: 3. Popular responses to unequal citizenship; 4. A referendum on ethnic identity and the claims of citizenship; 5. No going back on self-determination for the Oromo; 6. Ethiopian women and citizenship rights deferred; Conclusion.
• Sommario/riassunto: Smith argues that citizenship creation and expansion is a pivotal part of political contestation in Africa today. Citizenship is a powerful analytical tool to approach political life in contemporary Africa because the institutional and structural reforms of the past two decades have been inextricably linked with the battle over the 'right to have rights'. Professor Lahra Smith's work advances the notion of meaningful citizenship, referring to the ways in which rights are exercised, or the ; effective practice of citizenship. Using data from Ethiopia and developing a historically informed study of language policy, ethnicity and gender identities, Smith analyzes the contestation over citizenship that engages the state, social movements and individuals in substantive ways. By combining original data on language policy in contemporary Ethiopia with detailed historical study and a focus on ethnicity, citizenship and gender, this work brings a fresh approach to Ethiopian political development and contemporary citizenship concerns across Africa.