Merera Gudina

Dr. Merera Gudina is Associate Professor of Political Science & International Relations at Addis Ababa University where he served three times as its Chairman. He obtained his BA degree from Addis Ababa University in 1986; his MA from American University in Cairo in 1992 and his PhD from The Institute of Social Studies, The Netherlands in 2002. He was a student leader (1968 – 1976), political prisoner from 1977 - 1984 and served as Opposition MP from October 2005 to June 2010 and now one of the leading personalities in Ethiopian Opposition politics.

He won international competitive fellowships (United Nations University Fellowship in 1986; University of Vienna Summer School in 1992; Social Science Research Council Fellowship in 1994, Capacity Building for Governance, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Governance Fellowship in 2008; African Studies Center Fellowship, Leiden University in 2011). He had also participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program of the United States Department of State in 2007. 

While he has several articles in his name, his major publications include two books: Ethiopia: Competing Ethnic Nationalisms and the Quest for Democracy, 1960- 2000 and Ethiopia: From Autocracy to 'Revolutionary Democracy', 1960s - 2011.

Research interests: Democracy & democratization, Ethnicity, conflict & conflict resolution, policy making and rural development.