War and the Politics of Identity in Ethiopia: The Making of Enemies and Allies in the Horn of Africa

Kjetil Tronvoll. War and the Politics of Identity in Ethiopia: The Making of Enemies and Allies in the Horn of Africa. Suffolk, U.K.: James Currey, 2009. Eastern Africa Series. Distributed in the U.S. by Boydell & Brewer, Inc., Rochester, N.Y. xiv + 239 pp. Selected Glossary. List of Acronyms. List of Official Interviews. References. Index. Notes. $80.00. Cloth.

This book represents yet another fine contribution to the study of the politics of Ethiopia by Kjetil Tronvoll. However, it is a departure from a strict historical account of social relations in Ethiopia, and more of an analysis of die discourse of identity formation among scholars - and among Ethiopians themselves. The book takes a long view of the emergence of Ethiopian identity over time, demonstrating how the boundaries of identity have shifted among those who have attempted to come to grips with the question, "Who is Ethiopian and who is not?" For example, in die early days of the modern imperial state, Tigreans, including those who resided in the lowlands along the Red Sea...