Dr. Semahagn G. Abebe, curriculum vitae Page XXX
Curriculum Vitae - current as of September 2014
Dr. Semahagn Gashu Abebe
Research Fellow
Human Rights Institute
University of Connecticut
Thomas J. Dodd Research Center
405 Babbidge Road, U-1205
Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
Tel- 573-578-0321
E-mail:
Education:
Degree Courses:
University of Goettingen– Ph.D.- 2012
§ Accommodation of Linguistic Diversity, Decentralization, Federalism in sub-Saharan Africa
§ Dissertation: ‘ Rethinking the Fundamentals of Ethnic Federalism in Ethiopia’
University of Geottingen – LL.M. – 2009
§ Comparative Constitutional Law
§ Dissertation: ‘Ethnicity, Democracy and Protection of Human Rights in Ethiopia’
§ Concentration: Democracy, Ethnic Diversity, Human Rights
University of Amsterdam– LL.M.- 2007
§ International Trade Law and Human Rights
§ Concentration: Principles of International Trade Law and Developing Countries
Addis Ababa University LL.B.- 1996
Law
Short Term Course Diploma and Certificate:
§ ‘Culture, Rights, Identity, Interfaces between Humanities and the Law’, 6-18 August 2012, Institute for English and American Studies, University of Osnabruck (Certificate).
§ ‘Societies in Transition: Sub-Saharan Africa between Conflict and Reconciliation’, 11-20 July 2012, Faculty of Theology, University of Jena (Certificate).
§ ‘Federalism, Decentralization and Diversity : Division of Power and Democratic Governance in Multicultural Societies’, 24 August- 11 September 2009, Institute of Federalism, University of Freiburg, Switzerland( Diploma)
Employment :
Present: Research Scholar, Institute of Human Rights, University of Connecticut
2013-2014: O’Brien Resident Fellow, Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, Faculty of Law, McGill University.
2012-2013: Bank of Ireland Fellow, Irish Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, National University of Ireland.
2012- Present: Guest Lecturer, Scholars at Risk (SAR), New York, Speakers Series.
2012- Present: Affiliated Faculty, Centre for Intercultural Studies, Saint Louis University
2003-2007: Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Addis Ababa University and Civil Service University, Ethiopia.
1996-2001: Public Prosecutor, Ministry of Justice, Ethiopia.
Taught Courses:
Governance & Development in Sub-Saharan Africa at Faculty of Law, McGill University in Winter 2014 and Institute of Human Rights, University of Connecticut in Fall 2014
International Trade and Human Rights at Irish Center for Human Rights, National University of Ireland in Winter 2013.
International Trade Law,
Administrative Law,
Human Rights Law,
Criminal Procedure Law and
Law of Property ( 2003-2007) at Faculty of Law, Addis Ababa University/ Civil Service University.
Dr. Semahagn G. Abebe, curriculum vitae Page XXX
Publications:
Book:
The Last Post Cold-War Socialist Federation: Ethnicity, Ideology and Democracy in Ethiopia, Ashgate
Publisher, 2014
Chapters in edited volumes:
“Adopting an Ethnic Federal System as a Response to Ethnic Conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Ethiopian Experience,” in Martin Leiner and Maria Palme,eds., Societies in Transition: Sub-Saharan Africa between Conflict and Reconciliation, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Spring 2014.
“Ethnicity, Federalism and Democracy in the Horn of Africa: The Case of Ethiopia,” in Adelaja Odutola Odukoya, ed., Alterinative Development Strategies for Africa, Center for Black and African Arts and Civilization, 2013,pp 73-87.
“The Fault Lines Soviet-Style Accommodation of Minority Rights in Ethiopia,” in Subrata Sankar Bagchi, ed., Third World Perspectives of Human Rights: Issues and Discourses, Lexington Books, 2013, pp 193- 214.
Journal Articles:
‘The Relevance of African Culture in Building Modern Institutions and the Quest for Legal Pluralism,’
Saint Louis University Law Journal, Vol 57, No 2. (2013).
‘The Dilemma of Adopting Ethnic Federal System in Sub-Saharan Africa in Light of the Perspectives of
Ethiopia’s Experience,’ Journal of African Studies and Development, Vol 4, No 7. (2012).
‘The Need to Alleviate the Human Rights Implications of Large Scale Land Acquisition in Sub-Saharan
Africa’, Goettingen Journal of International Law, Vol 4, No 3. (2012).
‘Implications of Problems of Good Governance in the Flow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and
Transfer of Technology in Ethiopia,’ Ethiopian Journal of Research and Innovation Foresight, Vol 3, No 2. (2011).
‘The Implications of Rules of the World Trade organization ( WTO) to Ethiopia’s Financial Sector Policies’, Ethiopian Journal of Economics, Vol XIX, No 1. ( 2010).
Miscellaneous Papers:
Op-Ed ‘Saudi Arabia’s treatment of Ethiopians has been shameful,’ January 8, 2014 , The Montreal Gazzete
‘The Implications of Politicized Education for Academic Freedom in Ethiopia’, in Scholars at Risk University Values Bulletin, New York, July 2013.
Academic Conferences/Papers:
Presenter, ‘The Human Rights Implications of Large-scale land Acquisition in sub-Saharan Africa: the Case of Ethiopia,’ in ‘Large-scale land acquisitions and human rights in the developing world,’ Centre for Human Rights and legal Pluralism, McGill University, 10 December 2013
Presenter, ‘Institutional Accommodation of Cultural Diversity in Sub-Saharan Africa with Particular emphasis on Ethiopia‘s Ethnic Federal System,’ Fifth Annual Conference of Irish Society of Comparative Law, National University of Ireland, Galway, 24 – 25 May 2013.
Guest Lecturer, ‘Democracy, Human Rights and the Ethnic Federal System in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Ethiopia,’ A guest lecturer organized by the University of Geneva, the Scholars at Risk (SAR) Network and Amnesty International, Faculty of Law, Geneva, 25 April 2013.
Presenter, ‘Federalism as a Response to the Accommodation of Cultural Diversity: the Case of Ethiopia,’ in ‘Perspectives on Interculturality, ’ the Center for Intercultural Studies, Saint Louis University, April 28-March 1, 2013.
Presenter, ‘The WTO System and the Liberalization of the Financial Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa,’ in ‘Emerging Economies in Globalized Financial Markets,’ Martin Luther University, Hale, 21-22 June 2012.
Presenter, ‘Ethnic Federalism and the Protection of Human Rights in Ethiopia’, in ‘Law, Power-sharing and Human Rights, ’University of Antwerp , 9-12 May 2012.
Presenter, ‘The Debate on the Compatibility of African Culture to Liberal Values and the Quest for Legal Pluralism’, Centre for International and Comparative Law, Saint Louis University,1-2 March 2012.
Presenter, ‘The Challenges of Demarcating Internal Boundaries in Ethnically Divided Societies: the Case of Ethiopia,’ in ‘Borders and Border Crossing–New Perspectives on the Horn of Africa,’ Academic Research Association on Horn of Africa ,Humboldt University, Berlin, 30th September – 1st October 2011.
Presenter, ‘The Acquisition of Large-scale Agricultural Land by Foreign Investors in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Implications to Human Rights,’ Legal Research Network Conference, University of Göttingen, 15-16 September 2011.
Presenter, ‘Constitutional Design for Multicultural Nations: The Ethiopian Perspective’, in ‘Societies in Transition: Sub-Saharan Africa between Conflict and Reconciliation,’ University of Jena, 18–28 July 2011.
Presenter, ‘The Challenges and Opportunities of Ethnic Federalism as a Peace Building Strategy in Post-Conflict Countries: the Case of Ethiopia,‘ in ‘Post-conflict Peace-building and Reconstruction in Societies Emerging from Conflict, ‘Desmond Tutu Centre for War and Peace Studies, Liverpool Hope University, , Liverpool, 17-18 June 2011.
Presenter, ’A New Approach to State Formation in Africa: the Transformation of the Ethiopian State from Central to Federal,’ in ‘Continuities, Dislocations and Transformation: Reflection on 50 years African Independence,’ the German Association for African Studies, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, 7-11 April 2010 .
Membership and Associations:
Member, African Studies Association (2014-to date)
Member, African Law Association (2008-to date)
Member, Amnesty International (2011-to date)
Fellowship/Grants:
Research Fellowship, Institute of Human Rights, University of Connecticut, Since August 2014
O’ Brien Fellowship, Center for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, McGill University, 2013-2014
Bank of Ireland Post Doctoral Fellowship, Irish Center for Human Rights, National University of Ireland, 2012-13
Study Scholarship, German Academic Exchange Service, grant for LLM and PhD Study, the Faculty of Law, University of Goettingen (2007-2012).
Research / Teaching Interests:
Comparative Constitutional Law
Federalism and Decentralization in Sub-Saharan Africa
Governance and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa
Human Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa
International Trade and Human Rights