A Transcendental Phenomenology on the Efficacy of Ethnic Federalism Towards Governance, Autonomy, and Stability in Oromia Region of Ethiopia

Author(s)

• Anteneh Belete, Liberty UniversityFollow

Date

4-29-2026

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration (PhD)

Chair

William Lester

Keywords

autonomy, Ethiopia, ethnic federalism, Gadaa, institutional isomorphism, institutional syncretism, Oromia, phenomenology, self-rule, stability

Disciplines

Political Science | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration

Recommended Citation

Belete, Anteneh, "A Transcendental Phenomenology on the Efficacy of Ethnic Federalism Towards Governance, Autonomy, and Stability in Oromia Region of Ethiopia" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8299.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8299

Abstract

This transcendental-phenomenological study explored the efficacy of ethnic federalism in promoting autonomy, governance, and stability in Oromia, Ethiopia’s most populous and ideologically pivotal region. While the 1995 Constitution of Ethiopia grants regional self-determination, significant debate persists over meaningful self-rule for the Oromo, Ethiopia's largest ethnic group. Grounded in Federalism and Stakeholder Theories, this research investigated the Institutional Decoupling between constitutional ideals and daily administrative realities. Utilizing semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and reflective calls with diverse stakeholders, the qualitative analysis revealed an experiential paradox: "Visibility without Validity." Participants described "Conditional Autonomy," in which symbolic identity restoration is offset by fiscal centralization and Institutional Isomorphism, a condition where regional structures mimic federal forms but lack functional discretion. Findings also indicated that social stability is maintained primarily through indigenous moral systems and the stewardship of power inherent in Safuu and Nagaa, rather than through formal state apparatuses. Consequently, the study introduced the Integrative Experiential Model of Ethnic Federalism, synthesizing structural conditions, positional agency, and lived meaning. The study concluded that while ethnic federalism reversed historical cultural erasure for the Oromo people, it remains an unfinished project of "Recognition Without Power." The transition to substantive self-rule requires Institutional Syncretism, legalizing indigenous governance, and operationalizing subsidiarity to restore local-level discretion.