The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, successfully launched Ethiopia: Modern Nation – Ancient Roots, the latest publication edited by Professors Dagmawi Woubshet, Elizabeth W. Giorgis, and Surafel Wondimu Abebe in collaboration with Iwalewa Books, on March 6, 2025.
The book examines Ethiopia’s status as the only African nation never colonized, presenting a nuanced analysis of its role in African modernity.
The event, hosted at The Africa Institute, opened with welcome remarks by Salah M. Hassan, Chancellor of Global Studies University and Dean of The Africa Institute. He described the publication as a direct outcome of the inaugural Country-Focused Season on Ethiopia (2019–2020), which brought together scholars and artists to examine Ethiopia’s historical and cultural legacies. This book extends those discussions, offering critical perspectives on Ethiopia’s role in African modernity.
A flagship program of The Africa Institute, the Country-Focused Season is a specially curated annual initiative that explores one African country or African diaspora community through a range of scholarly and public programs.
The launch featured introductory remarks and a conversation among the three editors and Dr. Nadine Siegert, publisher at Iwalewa Books. All three co-editors also served as co-conveners of the Ethiopia Country-Focused Season (2019–2020), which shared the same title as the publication.
Reflecting on the book’s significance, Dagmawi Woubshet, Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Endowed Term Associate Professor of English, University of Pennsylvania said, “This publication sheds light on Ethiopia’s modernity while challenging common perceptions of African historical narratives. It is both a scholarly intervention and a tribute to Ethiopia’s rich intellectual traditions.”
Professor Elizabeth W. Giorgis, Chair of the Department of Humanities and Professor of Art History at The Africa Institute, shared that by weaving together literary, visual, and performance studies, this book presents an interdisciplinary exploration of Ethiopia’s cultural identity, offering fresh perspectives on its historical and contemporary relevance.
Professor Surafel Wondimu Abebe, Assistant Professor of Performance Studies at The Africa Institute, added, “Ethiopia’s history and artistic traditions demand critical rethinking and multidimensional approach, and this publication brings together diverse voices to examine its multifaceted legacies in the present.”
The launch also featured a conversation with the editors and Dr. Sehin Teferra, founder of the Setaweet Movement and a contributing author as well as Luleadey Tadesse Worku (Qatar University). Their discussion explored key themes of the book, including Ethiopian women’s experiences, cultural resilience, and historical transformations, providing further insight into the intersections of gender, identity, and artistic expression in Ethiopia.
Published by Iwalewa Books, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, the book is structured across five thematic sections, exploring Ethiopia’s literary, visual, and performing arts, migration patterns, and historical transformations. It provides insights into how the country’s unique position has shaped its cultural identity and broader African political and artistic movements.
The publication is now available at The Africa Institute’s on-campus bookshop, Meroë Bookshop, and online through Iwalewa Books.
Visit our Publications section to learn more.
The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, successfully launched Ethiopia: Modern Nation – Ancient Roots, the latest publication edited by Professors Dagmawi Woubshet, Elizabeth W. Giorgis, and Surafel Wondimu Abebe in collaboration with Iwalewa Books, on March 6, 2025.
The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, successfully launched Ethiopia: Modern Nation – Ancient Roots, the latest publication edited by Professors Dagmawi Woubshet, Elizabeth W. Giorgis, and Surafel Wondimu Abebe in collaboration with Iwalewa Books, on March 6, 2025.
The book examines Ethiopia’s status as the only African nation never colonized, presenting a nuanced analysis of its role in African modernity.
The event, hosted at The Africa Institute, opened with welcome remarks by Salah M. Hassan, Chancellor of Global Studies University and Dean of The Africa Institute. He described the publication as a direct outcome of the inaugural Country-Focused Season on Ethiopia (2019–2020), which brought together scholars and artists to examine Ethiopia’s historical and cultural legacies. This book extends those discussions, offering critical perspectives on Ethiopia’s role in African modernity.
A flagship program of The Africa Institute, the Country-Focused Season is a specially curated annual initiative that explores one African country or African diaspora community through a range of scholarly and public programs.
The launch featured introductory remarks and a conversation among the three editors and Dr. Nadine Siegert, publisher at Iwalewa Books. All three co-editors also served as co-conveners of the Ethiopia Country-Focused Season (2019–2020), which shared the same title as the publication.
Reflecting on the book’s significance, Dagmawi Woubshet, Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Endowed Term Associate Professor of English, University of Pennsylvania said, “This publication sheds light on Ethiopia’s modernity while challenging common perceptions of African historical narratives. It is both a scholarly intervention and a tribute to Ethiopia’s rich intellectual traditions.”
Professor Elizabeth W. Giorgis, Chair of the Department of Humanities and Professor of Art History at The Africa Institute, shared that by weaving together literary, visual, and performance studies, this book presents an interdisciplinary exploration of Ethiopia’s cultural identity, offering fresh perspectives on its historical and contemporary relevance.
Professor Surafel Wondimu Abebe, Assistant Professor of Performance Studies at The Africa Institute, added, “Ethiopia’s history and artistic traditions demand critical rethinking and multidimensional approach, and this publication brings together diverse voices to examine its multifaceted legacies in the present.”
The launch also featured a conversation with the editors and Dr. Sehin Teferra, founder of the Setaweet Movement and a contributing author as well as Luleadey Tadesse Worku (Qatar University). Their discussion explored key themes of the book, including Ethiopian women’s experiences, cultural resilience, and historical transformations, providing further insight into the intersections of gender, identity, and artistic expression in Ethiopia.
Published by Iwalewa Books, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, the book is structured across five thematic sections, exploring Ethiopia’s literary, visual, and performing arts, migration patterns, and historical transformations. It provides insights into how the country’s unique position has shaped its cultural identity and broader African political and artistic movements.
The publication is now available at The Africa Institute’s on-campus bookshop, Meroë Bookshop, and online through Iwalewa Books.
Visit our Publications section to learn more.
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