Wondem Asres Degu

In September 2002, I completed my Ph.D. thesis in International Relations, with the title ‘The State, the Crisis of State Institutions and Refugee Migration in the Horn of Africa: The Cases of Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia, at the University of Amsterdam. I have also received a Post-Graduate Certificate and MA degree international relations from the University of Amsterdam.

I studied and worked in Ethiopia, where I obtained a BA Degree from Addis Ababa University (major in Political Science and International Relations and minor in Public Administration), and have a long experience (1974-1993) as a teacher, educational administrator and educator under the Ministry of Education Ethiopia.

My interest in research and teaching is focused on the different aspects of international relations and development theories, state (re)construction, state collapse, post-conflict development and refugee migration in Africa, namely:
1. Refugee Migration in Africa.
2. Change and continuity in Africa and the challenge to international relations theory.
3. The social construction of the territorial sovereign state and the crisis (collapse) of the real existing state.
4. Critical rereading of development theories and socio-economic and political development in Africa.
5. Political development (continuity and change) in the Horn of Africa.
6. Post-conflict development in Africa, especially emphasis on the Horn of Africa.

As a Visiting Fellow at the ASC I hope to profit from the excellent facilities of the ASC and its library and staff. I will be working on three projects: 'The Politics of Education in Ethiopia: The Impact of Ethnic Federalism on Education'; 'Breaking the Cycle of Violence: Post-Conflict development in the Horn of Africa' and ‘Critical Rereading of Development theories (With special reference to Africa)’. Hopefully, during my stay at the centre my work will result in a conference paper and articles.