article

Making a living in the postsocialist periphery: struggles between farmers and traders in Konso, Ethiopia

Africa76 (1) • Published In 2006 • Pages: 70-87

By: Watson, Elizabeth E..

Abstract
Following the advent of a new Ethiopian government in 1991, the traditional Konso homeland was constituted into an autonomous, self-governing administrative district. This article discusses the local consequences of the new regime’s policy emphasis on democracy, grassroots participation and, to some extent, market liberalization. One of the most important legacies of these policies has been transformation in the social standing and economic fortunes of a class of villagers who earned their living primarily from retail trade. Traditionally, these traders were regarded as an endogamous caste group, subordinate to farmers. The traders took advantage of economic liberalization and external trade links to earn more income, which they invested in buying agricultural land and building roadside commercial houses. This change reconfigured local power relations in favor of traders.
Subjects
Community structure
Inter-community relations
Ingroup antagonisms
Congregations
Religious intolerance and martyrs
Social relationships and groups
Friendships
Form and rules of government
Citizenship
Real property
Retail marketing
Status, role, and prestige
Lineages
Age stratification
Government regulation
Community heads
Acculturation and culture contact
culture
Konso
HRAF PubDate
2016
Region
Africa
Sub Region
Eastern Africa
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Teferi Abate Adem
Field Date
1996-2002
Coverage Date
1991-2002
Coverage Place
Gamole, Konso Special Woreda, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia
Notes
Elizabeth E. Watson
Includes bibliographical references (p. 85-86)
LCCN
29010790
LCSH
Konso (African people)