Reimagining Good Citizenship in Ethiopia: Overcoming Historical Legacies and Embracing Contemporary Opportunities

Abstract

The study aimed to explore how past regimes' legacies influenced good citizenship and how to address these legacies to embrace modern opportunities. A naturalistic inquiry paradigm, a qualitative approach, and semi-structured interviews, focused group discussions, and document analysis were utilized.  The study found the puzzle of ethnic federalism accompanied by poor governance heightened the controversies surrounding citizenship and ethnic identity, thereby threatening national identity within a globalized world. Further, the lack of accountability and transparency in Ethiopia combined with corrupt practices has significantly hindered the development of responsible citizens. This situation is exacerbated by the complexities of the divide-and-rule strategy inherent in the ethnic federalism of the post-1991 regime, threatening the country's future and unity. Moreover, due to the legacy of fear and political repression, schools in Oromia have failed to foster a favorable atmosphere where various opportunities exist for students to freely express their views and opinions. Finally, it is found that the Ethiopian citizenship education runs counter to the global citizenship education perspective, which supports an educational system that fosters critical thinking, social justice, and active engagement. We recommend that the Ministry of Education train qualified teachers through field-based teacher development programs and create favorable atmospheres in schools for students. The study highlights the need for government regulation and accountability to obstruct corrupt practices, which hinder the growth of good citizenship. The government should embrace global citizenship and a good citizenship education to address historical regime legacies and promote inclusive, democratic, and active civic engagement while reimagining citizenship.