Call for Papers for the 2013 OSA Annual Conference

P.O Box 32391, Fridley, MN 55432

Theme: Examining Paths to Oromo National Empowerment in the 21st Century

Date: August 3 – 4, 2013

Venue: Howard University, Washington D.C.

Oromo experience as a nation remains one of continuing decline in virtually every measure: broad health indicators are alarming; human rights abuses are leading individuals to become fearful of self-expression; environmental degradation and land alienation schemes shock the international community; curtailment of a number of basic freedoms has become commonplace. The theme of this conference is intended to encourage focus on prospects for Oromo national empowerment in the face of these and other extremely challenging conditions.

We offer the following questions as food for thought to encourage potential presenters of papers to address the overall theme of the conference:

• What are the best recent indicators of sociological, economic, cultural, political, ideological transformation within the Oromo nation?
• Do current global conditions, changes in the Horn or the state of the Ethiopian empire offer opportunities for charting new paths toward empowerment of Oromo people at home and abroad? Consider technological changes, status of youth and women, environmental activism, food and labor demands, etc.
• Do global changes in other parts of the world open opportunities for empowerment of nations within the Horn of Africa and for the Oromo struggle in particular?
• Does the growing political awareness of religious groups worldwide translate into religion-related impact/influence on the Oromo national struggle? Are Oromo nationalists influencing religious responses.
• Has the concept of “democratization of the Ethiopian empire” shifted within in the Oromo national liberation struggle?
• Have the role or the opportunities of Oromo youth shifted in the struggle for Oromo national liberation and empowerment,
• What changes impact the role of the Oromo women in the struggle for Oromo national liberation?
• What analysis explains the new oppressive laws in Ethiopia – the so called “Anti-terrorism Law,” “Press Law,” the current law that prevents charitable organizations from freely moving in the country, and the most recent law that criminalizes the usage of Skype and other media tools? What are appropriate individual and/or collective responses to these developments?
• What are the national, international and local impacts of the massive land grab in Oromia? What are the consequences of this land grab for loss or gains by Oromo?
• What current mechanisms leading to environmental degradation provide common cause with environments worldwide? What data from other regions offer insight into remedies in Oromia?
• Address the role of Oromo artists in creating awareness and opening paths among dispersed groups for Oromo national empowerment.
• How have changes within current-day Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa and the region impacted current economic, social, cultural, political and ideological conditions among the Oromo people, with special attention to events in the previous few months to a year?
• Are new considerations of armed struggle and non-violent struggle emerging in the quest for national empowerment in the current day?
• How do the concepts of “self-determination,” and “freedom” relate to the Oromo national movement in 2013?
• What is the current status of human rights abuse, torture and violence against the Oromo in Ethiopia? Have abuses decreased or changed form in recent months? What is the response of the international community? Are there any new channels for collective action?

Paper submissions:

Abstracts due by May 15th, 2013 to Dr. Mosisa Aga at maga@aum.edu

Final papers are expected by June 15, 2013.

*We accept individual, group and panel papers.

Thank you,

Mosisa Aga, PhD
OSA President