ChristianMuslim Conflict In Ethiopia Muslim And Christian (Orthodox) Populations

christian-muslim conflict in ethiopia muslim and christian (orthodox) populations have long lived together in ethiopia. their ability to coe

Christian-Muslim Conflict in Ethiopia
Muslim and Christian (Orthodox) populations have long lived together
in Ethiopia. Their ability to coexist peacefully has varied over time
and circumstance. Given the current focus on terrorism and conflict in
the Muslim world we might be well served to look at how Muslims and
Christians have interacted in other places, like Ethiopia in the past.
Despite a relatively peaceful history, the incidence of religious and
ethnic violence rose in Ethiopia with the fall of the Derg government
in 1991. This research will investigate why and under what
circumstances ethnic/religious conflict is increasing and whether
Ethiopia might serve as a model of relatively peaceful coexistence
despite current challenges. Ashtosh Varshney's research in India
presents a method for testing where and when violent outbreaks tend to
occur in relation to civil society institutions. Current views on the
conflict might also be gained from interviews with Ethiopians from a
number of different religious and ethnic backgrounds. On-going
relationship with the Mennonite-related church in Ethiopia will
provide access to evangelical views on Christian-Muslim relations and
a link to the Mennonite constituency in North America. The summer
research will focus on a few tasks within the larger project.
1. Collect and summarize the current literature on historical
Muslim-Christian interaction in Ethiopia
2. Access Ethiopian newspapers since 1991 to document and quantify the
incidence of religious and ethnic violence according to city.
3. Begin to construct an interview instrument.
4. Summarize of findings with preliminary thesis formation.
Jan Bender Shetler, History