The ethnography of the Konso people of southern Ethiopia by A. E. Jensen goes back to his research in Konso in 1954/55. Following his research, Jensen wrote the present work, which he did not publish. The book follows on from his book In the Land of Gada, published in 1936, which was based on his research in 1934/35 in the same region. It is a classic ethnography divided into the following chapters: The country and its people, social life, offices, clans and caste system, religious and spiritual life, and oral traditions. The ethnography is illustrated by historical photographs from the archives of the Frobenius Institute.

Put simply, refraction describes a change in the direction of light or sound due to a change in the medium the light or sound goes through. Writing a Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis means changing the direction of light shed on a particular text or topic, as the theses collected in this volume conclusively show: A dystopian novel is shown to hinge on questions of animal rights; a complex novelistic structure is revealed to have its origins in scientific discourses; a clearly Gothic novel has its foundation in aesthetic Christianity, to outline just some of the topics. All these papers have in common that they take a well-known text or idea and change the angle through which it is read and analysed – and suddenly a rainbow of new insights is created.

Of all the African nations, Ethiopia is most prone to misconceptions. The 1985 famine and the cracked barren earth of the Danakil Depression are not images quickly forgotten. This fully updated guide refocuses the lens to reveal an ancient country that continues to surpass all expectations: from the ancient Judaic cultures of the fertile highlands to the colourful animist people of the South Omo Valley, from the Afro-pine moorland of the Bale Mountains National Park to the thundering Blue Nile Falls. Taking you far off the beaten track, the author presents more of this expansive beautiful land, believed to be the cradle of humankind.Bradt's Ethiopia provides the most comprehensive coverage of any English-language guidebook on the market. Not only does it include towns and villages well off the beaten track, but it goes into greater depth than its competitors, with more detail on the history, culture and sights, and more opinionated and entertaining reviews of hotels and restaurants. In addition, it features detailed information on wildlife, national parks and trekking routes found in no other book.

This collection of texts was created in connection with the conference "Documenting Southern Ethiopia: recognizing past legacies and forging the way forward", which took place in February 2017 in collaboration with the Frobenius Institute, Frankfurt at the Hawassa University

Ethiopia is clearly one of the most important countries in Africa. First of all, with about 75 million people, it is the third most populous country in Africa. Second, it is very strategically located, in the Horn of Africa and bordering Eritrea, Sudan, Kenya, and Somalia, with some of whom it has touchy and sometimes worse relations. Yet, its capital – Addis Ababa – is the headquarters of the African Union, the prime meeting place for Africa’s leaders. So, if things went poorly in Ethiopia, this would not be good for Africa, and for a long time this was the case, with internal disruption rife, until it was literally suppressed under the strong rule of the recently deceased Meles Zenawi. The Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia, Second Edition covers the history of Ethiopia through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has several hundred cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Ethiopia.

Agriculture is often considered as one of the main threats to ecosystems. Unsustainable farming practices often result in habitat loss, inefficient use of water, soil degradation, pollution, genetic erosion, among other negative impacts on human life, including hunger, low food quality, reduced access to food resources, as well as the abandonment of rural areas. Nevertheless, when agriculture is practiced in a sustainable way, it can contribute to the preservation of many habitats, to the protection of watersheds, to the preservation and improvement of soil health. The use of sustainable and ecological practices is the key feature distinguishing traditional agriculture from intensive one. It may not provide very high yields, but ensures sustainable harvests over time, thanks to time-tested technologies and traditional know-hows and also represent examples of adaptation to harsh environmental conditions. Based on this approach, in 2002, FAO launched the concept of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Programme, to identify and safeguard agricultural systems that are ensuring food and livelihood security, while maintaining magnificent landscapes, agricultural biodiversity, traditional knowledge, cultural and social values. This book presents 18 examples of these traditional agriculture systems around the world, with a special focus on Europe, Asia, Africa, Central and South America, as a result of the “GIAHS Building Capacity” project co-funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI) of the University of Florence (Italy).

Forms of group identity play a prominent role in everyday lives and politics in northeast Africa. Case studies from Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Kenya illustrate the way that identities are formed and change over time, and how local, national, and international politics are interwoven. Specific attention is paid to the impact of modern weaponry, new technologies, religious conversion, food and land shortages, international borders, civil war, and displacement on group identities. Drawing on the expertise of anthropologists, historians and geographers, these volumes provide a significant account of a society profoundly shaped by identity politics and contribute to a better understanding of the nature of conflict and war, and forms of alliance and peacemaking, thus providing a comprehensive portrait of this troubled region.

While the world taps its feet, Ethiopia breakdances with its shoulders. This is an uplifting, inspirational country which confounds expectations. It’s no featureless desert but a land of majestic landscapes surrounding a vast, fertile plateau. The rock-hewn churches in its medieval capital, Lalibela, are regarded by many as the eighth wonder of the world. Its people are welcoming, proud and besotted by their own culture and history. Bradt’s Ethiopia is the most thorough guide available to this country rich in culture, history and dramatic scenery, and has been highly praised by both travel press and readers. ‘Thorough and reassuring, it provides all the practical and background information to make readers leap from their armchairs and visit this vast, magical country’ The Daily Telegraph (UK)