search the africa institute site
On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, scholars convened to discuss the research on Africa’s political modernity presented by Yonas Ashine Demisse, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Addis Ababa University at The Africa Institute Auditorium.
Professor Demisse’s seminar, titled “Negotiated Political Modernity in Africa: Abolition and Manumission in Early 20th-Century Ethiopia,” offered an insightful examination of Ethiopia’s journey towards abolition during the early 20th century. The seminar scrutinized the interaction between traditional manumission practices and emerging international abolitionist movements, providing an analysis of Ethiopia’s transition from longstanding norms of slavery and manumission to the international demands of abolition as a means to preserve state sovereignty and survival.
Professor Demisse’s research shed light on the nuanced dynamics surrounding the abolition of slavery in Ethiopia. He elucidated the distinctions between the suppression of domestic slavery and the slave trade, both longstanding features of Ethiopian society.
During the seminar, Professor Demisse underscored the significant role of Ethiopian abolitionists in shaping the nation’s path toward abolition. He highlighted how these activists strategically aligned nationalist sentiments with the abolitionist agenda, portraying the liberation of household slaves as vital to preserving Ethiopia’s sovereignty.
A notable aspect of the seminar was Professor Demisse’s core argument: that Ethiopia’s abolition process followed a distinctive trajectory, blending international abolitionist ideals with premodern methods of slave liberation. He discussed the enduring influence of Ethiopia’s medieval legal frameworks and the pragmatic approach taken by Ethiopian abolitionists in negotiating the demands of the League of Nations.
“Ethiopia’s journey towards abolition offers invaluable insights into the complexities of negotiating modernity while preserving cultural traditions. Understanding this historical process deepens our appreciation for the resilience of Ethiopian society in the face of external pressures,” said Professor Demisse.
Moderating the seminar was Matthew S. Hopper, Ali A. Marzui Senior Fellow at The Africa Institute (GSU), and Professor of History at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. His research focuses on slavery and abolition in the Indian Ocean world.
Through these lectures and workshops, The Africa Institute reaffirms its mission as a center for the study and research of Africa and its diaspora, and its commitment to the training of a new generation of critical thinkers in African and African Diaspora studies. Visit our events page, to attend upcoming seminars.
On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, scholars convened to discuss the research on Africa’s political modernity presented by Yonas Ashine Demisse, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Addis Ababa University at The Africa Institute Auditorium.
On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, scholars convened to discuss the research on Africa’s political modernity presented by Yonas Ashine Demisse, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Addis Ababa University at The Africa Institute Auditorium.
Professor Demisse’s seminar, titled “Negotiated Political Modernity in Africa: Abolition and Manumission in Early 20th-Century Ethiopia,” offered an insightful examination of Ethiopia’s journey towards abolition during the early 20th century. The seminar scrutinized the interaction between traditional manumission practices and emerging international abolitionist movements, providing an analysis of Ethiopia’s transition from longstanding norms of slavery and manumission to the international demands of abolition as a means to preserve state sovereignty and survival.
Professor Demisse’s research shed light on the nuanced dynamics surrounding the abolition of slavery in Ethiopia. He elucidated the distinctions between the suppression of domestic slavery and the slave trade, both longstanding features of Ethiopian society.
During the seminar, Professor Demisse underscored the significant role of Ethiopian abolitionists in shaping the nation’s path toward abolition. He highlighted how these activists strategically aligned nationalist sentiments with the abolitionist agenda, portraying the liberation of household slaves as vital to preserving Ethiopia’s sovereignty.
A notable aspect of the seminar was Professor Demisse’s core argument: that Ethiopia’s abolition process followed a distinctive trajectory, blending international abolitionist ideals with premodern methods of slave liberation. He discussed the enduring influence of Ethiopia’s medieval legal frameworks and the pragmatic approach taken by Ethiopian abolitionists in negotiating the demands of the League of Nations.
“Ethiopia’s journey towards abolition offers invaluable insights into the complexities of negotiating modernity while preserving cultural traditions. Understanding this historical process deepens our appreciation for the resilience of Ethiopian society in the face of external pressures,” said Professor Demisse.
Moderating the seminar was Matthew S. Hopper, Ali A. Marzui Senior Fellow at The Africa Institute (GSU), and Professor of History at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. His research focuses on slavery and abolition in the Indian Ocean world.
Through these lectures and workshops, The Africa Institute reaffirms its mission as a center for the study and research of Africa and its diaspora, and its commitment to the training of a new generation of critical thinkers in African and African Diaspora studies. Visit our events page, to attend upcoming seminars.
Subscribe to our mailing list and get the latest news from The Africa Institute
