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• Comment: "References" do not meet personal references. Please carefully read WP:VERIFY. Also see WP:NOTRESUME. qcne (talk) 14:30, 25 December 2024 (UTC)

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Eshete Gemeda

Eshete Gemeda
Official Portrait, 2008
Education	University of Southern Denmark (PhD) University of Hamburg (MA) Addis Ababa University (BA)
Occupation(s)	Lecturer, Supervisor and Research Professor of Comparative Literature

Early life and career

Eshete Gemeda, /ɪʃǝ'tɛɪ gǝ'mǝdǝ/ Oromo: born 5 May 1958, is Oromia-born Oromo-Danish scholar who served as university lecturer, supervisor (advisor) and senior researcher (research scientist) at different universities in Denmark - Aalborg University, University of Southern Denmark and Hamburg University (Germany). He also worked as private researcher at the University of Southern Denmark. His major areas of teaching, supervision and research include: comparative literature - African and American literature, global studies, intercultural communication theory (cultural sensitivity theory), discourse and society studies, language and linguistics, colonialism and Atlantic slave trade: the burden of being slaves.

While teaching at Upper Secondary Schools in the country, Eshete was awarded high-level Academic Certificates twice by the Ministry of Education and received two high-level testimonial letters from the same Ministry for his research and professional excellence in 1987, 1988 and 1990.

Education – From Higher-Level Academic Degrees to Lowest

Eshete Gemeda is a lecturer and research professor in comparative literature. Other multifaceted areas of his research include: colonial and postcolonial studies, modernism, postmodern developments and predicaments, slavery and the burden of being a slave, the conflict in East Africa (Ethiopia) and the doctrine of making violence, global challenges with reference to dysfunctional language policies and cultural diversity management theory, linguistics, language and communication.

Dr. Eshete Gemeda and Prof. Jan Nordby Gretlund at at the Reception Arranged for Dr. Eshete After PhD Defense – University of Southern Denmark (2009)

Eshete Gemeda and Prof. Dr. Dr. Siegbert Uhlig at Masters (MA) Graduation Ceremony of Eshete – Hamburg University (Germany) – 2002

Eshete Gemeda studied at the University of Southern Denmark and awarded PhD Degree in recognition of scientific attainments - comparative literature in 2009. He pursued Postgraduate Studies (MA) at Hamburg University (Germany) and received Master of Arts (MA) in Sociolinguistics in 2002. He started PhD study at the same university and later moved to the University of Southern Denmark. Bachelor of Arts (BA) in literature and English from Addis Ababa (Finfinne) University in 1984.

Eshete received High-Level Diploma (level 4) in Pedagogical Education from Addis Ababa (Finfinne) University in 1980, Middle-Level Diploma (Level 3) from Harar Teachers Training Institute of pedagogical and academic studies in 1972. Different Academic Certificates in short-term Education: Leadership, Project Management and Coaching in Organizations, from Business College of Southern Denmark in 2013; Marketing Strategy and Business Strategy from University College of Southern Denmark in 2014.

Eshete Gemeda studied Upper Secondary Education (9-10 standard) at Asella Upper Secondary School in 1970-1971, and 11-12 standard (grades) at Harar Institute of Academics and Pedagogical Education in 1972-1973. He completed 7th-8th standard (grades) at Sagure Middle Secondary School in 1967-1968 respectively.

He completed Elementary Education at Munesa School in Arsii (Munesa). Until the termination of elementary level of education (1-6) in 1963-1967, he lived with his parents at his birthplace (Kootee/Qarsa). Thereafter, he moved from his birthplace, Munesa, to the capital city (Finfinne/Addis Ababa) and other different towns (Sagure and Harar) to pursue further education. That time, there were no Junior (Middle) and Upper Secondary Schools in Munesa. Before 1974, learning institutions in Ethiopia, from lower to higher, were used by imperial regimes as tools of stigmatization and marginalizing identity. For this reason, Middle and Upper Secondary Schools were not available in several districts and sub-districts in Oromia.

Personal Life

Eshete Gemeda was born on 5 May, 1958, to his Oromo father Gemeda Kereyou and his Oromo mother Shuqo Burqa, in Munesa sub-district; 237 kilometers away from the capital city - Finfinne (Addis Ababa) and 62 kilometers away from Asella. Both of his parents were middle class farmers. The Oromo families are generally known for their solid social solidarity and strong lineage network, cultural ties and corporate identities. He was born and raised in extended, stable, highly cultured and harmonious family characterized by the Gadaa egalitarianism and sharing system of welfare. Eshete’s extended family is rooted in lineage ties of ‘close’ and ‘peripheral ancestry’ of the Arsii Oromo - Gemeda’s family and Kereyou’s family (close extended). These are interconnected to balbala (lineage) and gosa (peripheral lineage). Besides the material and ideal interests marked by corporate identities, most activities in his family are carried out on a highly organized cooperative, peaceful and harmonious basis.

The Gadaa Founding Fathers inherited us egalitarianism and the fundamental humanistic belief in the sanctity of wisdom governing, freedom, farsightedness, the goodness of peace and love in which our core concerns should be to forge democratic civil power, promote the principles of welfare culture and exert our efforts to develop the fundamental ideas of toleration and the respect for human dignity. It is incumbent upon us to hold these democratic ideals to be true, functional and remain part of our liberation aesthetics - that all human beings are entitled to have freedom of choice and inalienable rights. Eshete Gemeda believes that the healthy and harmonious environment where he was raised has greater influence on his whole life and contributed immensely to his healthy personality traits and keen intellectual vision of creating humanized and democratized social world. In Eshete’s view, a fruitful child is he or she who lives up to his or her meanings, dreams, visions and mainstream values that are inherited from good parents in particular, and wisdom loving society of reason in general. This is how we make sense of who we are in a fast-moving complex world. Eshete has eight siblings from same father and mother - six brothers and two sisters.

Marriage and Family

Eshete Gemeda has been married to Amane Tufa since 1977. She studied at Addis Ababa (Finfinne) University and Teachers University College of Denmark and received higher Diploma.

Eshete Gemeda and His family

She served as a teacher. They have two daughters, Mary Eshete, who was born in 1980 and Rachel Eshete, born in 1988. They were born at Asella Hospital (Arsii) and Yekatit Twelve Hospital in Finfinne (Addis Ababa) respectively. Both of them are highly educated and have built successful career, holding best positions at the well-known Danish Companies. Eshete and Amane have three grandchildren: Fenan, Faya and Kila. While in Ethiopia, Eshete’s family lived in Asella (Arsi) and then in Finfinne (Addis Ababa).

After 1991, Eshete and his family moved to Kenya and lived there in exile for 3 years and a half due to political problems in Ethiopia. In February 22, 1994, Eshete and his family moved to Denmark under the Protection of the United Nations and the Danish Government and lived there for 30 years. Eshete Gemeda has a successful marriage marked by intellectual life, compassion and mutuality of feelings. He perceives a good marriage as one of the key factors which contributes, to a greater extent, to successful education and profession.

Eshete's daughters

Good marriage provides stable foundation for children to lead secured future and a glorious social life. You cannot buy happy family life; but it is you who can create that pleasant environment which keeps you fresh every time. As human beings, we want to be happy, emotionally stable and fairly resilient to stress, but happiness comes and goes with changing times, unless we are capable of discovering the secret of our journey of life.

Books – Published and Unpublished

Eshete Gemeda is the author of seven books (published and unpublished):

• 1. African Egalitarian Values and Indigenous Genres: A Comparative Approach to the Functional and Contextual Studies of Oromo National Literature in Contemporary Perspective
• 2. The Analytical and Conceptual Framework for Global Challenges and Diversity Management: A Critical Study of Cross-Cultural Sensitivity and Language Policy Problems in Sociological and Political Perspective
• 3. The Interdisciplinary Studies of Language and Communication in Diverse Social Setting: The Multifaceted Concepts and Meanings of English and Oromiffa Linguistics and Grammatical Features
• 4. The Colonial Institutional Legacy of Otherness and the Political Doctrine of Making Violence in Ethiopia: The Expansionist Old Song of Divide and Conquer and the Oromo Long Journey of Struggle for Freedom, 1880-2024
• 5. Slavery and the Burden of Being Slaves in the Colonial Empires: The Legacies of Colonialism and the Unfinished Human Tragedy in the Making
• 6. The Basic English Grammar for Upper Secondary Schools: Communicative Approach to Grammatical Usage and Sentence Structures
• 7. The Basic English Grammar for Junior Secondary Schools (7-8).

Articles (the Selected Ones) – Published and Unpublished

1. Post-empire events and relocating African protest literature: The analysis of heroic genres in a historical and political context (Publisher: Journal of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics, Vol.32, issue1-2
2. Power and discourse mechanisms in a contemporary world.
3. Effective communication skill as the driving force of collective growth and peaceful coexistence
4. The colonial institutional legacy of Otherness and the doctrine of making genocidal violence in Ethiopia - published on Linkedin – 2023
5. Language, identity, race relations and securing identity representation: The struggle for equitable social structure and global co-existence of nations
6. The Theoretical, Conceptual and Functional Aspects of Strategic Leadership: Negotiation and Reconciliation in South Africa - published on Linkedin – 2018
7. Language Acquisition in Chomskyan perspective: The analysis of Generative Grammatical Structure  
8. Democratizing cultural discourse: Intercultural communication in a pluralistic perspective
9. The historical development of globalization and global modernity: The rewards and risks of the new journey
10. Conflict-model policy problems in postcolonial and post-independence Africa: The nature of state formation and marginalized identity in language and culture
11. Democratizing and humanizing global relations: Intercultural discourse in political and sociological context - published on Linkedin – 2017
12. Indigenous narratives in a contemporary context: Folklore literature in a changing socio-cultural climate  
13. Narratological thinking: The study of folklore genre in its own right
14. Paradigm Shift: African Nationalism in the context of modern thinking and the democratization of societies
15. The establishment of colonial institutions and the birth of Oromo nationalism: The struggle for the new world
16. Neo-colonialism and the making of homeless societies (refugees): The politics of migration in the context of governing through misrule - published on Linkedin – 2017.
17. Great wisdom brings great hopes, great hatred brings great darkness
18. The making of social dynamism: Culture and identity  
19. The crises of confidence of the masquerades
20. Slavery, slave trade, serfdom and forced labour in postcolonial and postmodern eras

Activism and Political Life

Eshete Gemeda is not merely academics, but also a political activist who has undergone many challenges and difficult times – from being a political prisoner to exile due to military dictatorship, genocidal violence and wars in Ethiopia. He fought for the ideas of popular sovereignty preceding and a vision of the world in which there would be no indignity and a breach of justice. In a situation where democracy is undermined, several millions of powerless people are not merely in a state of insecurity, but also found in the bondage of being below human standard. In this sense, modern civilization continues to be unfree.

Beginning from the early 1970s -to the present, Eshete Gemeda continued to stand against authoritarianism, discriminatory policies and imperialistic expansion, Land Grabbing, national oppression and a system of fostering violence in Ethiopia. Political activism is basically a response to misgoverning - power misuse, abuse of public trust, inequality and marginalizing identity through socio-cultural and political submersion, disproportional economic distribution and radical unitarism. Dysfunctional policies and brutal repression in Ethiopia often galvanize cultural, political, and religious activism. Every succeeding generation of the Oromo, which was/is affected by autocratic rule, not only brings questions and resentments to the political arena and public debates, but also challenges corrupted practices, the failed colonial model regimes in the empire state. Eshete Gemeda shares these commonly held concerns and beliefs that have powerful resonance in contemporary Oromo politics and socio-economic condition. From the early ‘Ethiopian Revolution’ of 1974 and a wave of student movements for democracy and freedom to the present, he continued to do interdisciplinary research, write books and several articles on the traumatic disturbances and political atrocities caused by Ethiopian empire, conquest and the crime of savagery, focusing on Oromo resistance struggle against the Native Land Act, discriminatory laws, state terrorism and ethnic cleansing through destabilization and displacement mechanisms. Eshete’s writings thus focused on navigating the unfinished ‘Old Song’ of empire, the negative legacy of empire builders, the imperialized basic tenets of Otherness, repressive demands, ideological objections and challenges that have been raised to the hegemony of modernity as totalizing theory and analytical category.

After the failed transition to democracy and the crackdown on the Oromo democratic forces in the late 1970s-1980s, Eshete Gemeda was detained by the dictatorial regime of the Derg three times in which he was also alleged of attempting to attack the dictator President - Mengistu Haile-Mariam. This was the time when the dictator Colonel visited the Arsii region in 1979. He also survived assassination attempt four times. One of the dramatic events was the assassination attempt carried-out by Mengistu Tefera in Asella in 1979. Tefera loaded his automatic machinegun before coming to Eshete’s led meeting and then began shooting at Eshete incessantly, targeting his head, until the gun ran-out of 30 bullets. The shooting took place at the time when Eshete was leading the meeting in his office; but the assassination attempt failed as bullets missed the target and Eshete luckily survived. Eshete survived another assassination attempt at farmers gathering in ‘Gadab Asaasaa’ in the same year, while Eshete Gemeda was delivering speech. There are other atrocious acts of terrorism and dramatic scenes of assassination attempts during the Ethiopian ‘Revolution’ and political upheaval of 1977-1980.

In 1991, Eshete fled to Kenya with his family to the relative safety of foreign land and lived there in exile for three-years and six-months. He sees the journey to exile as dark, risky, fearful and disturbing. Although the precarious life in exile was bleak, scary and insecure, the way Eshete and his family were treated by the Kenyan government, the United Nations and the Danish Government was quite exceptional and unforgettable. The United Nations, together with the Danish Government gave Eshete and his family resettlement to Denmark. He moved to Denmark in 1994. This was the time when he was on the process to start Postgraduate Studies at Nairobi University after he was accepted (admitted) by the board of Postgraduate Studies. The bitter struggle made to end the hopelessness of the dark days of exile the way that cloudy situation was changed into ‘the bright day of new life’ and ‘shining hope,’ cannot be explained in few words. Dr. Eshete is extremely grateful to the Danish Government and the United Nations.

Bibliography

Books and Articles

Gemeda, Eshete. (2012). African Egalitarian Values and Indigenous Genres: A Comparative Approach to the Functional and Contextual Studies of Oromo National Literature in a Contemporary Perspective. LIT VERLAG GmbH & Co. KG Wien, Berlin Munster.

________. (2023). Post-empire Events and Relocating African Protest Literature: The Analysis of Heroic Genres in a Historical and Political Context. Journal of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics, Vol.32, issue1-2).

_________. (2023). The Colonial Institutional Legacy of Otherness and the Doctrine of Making Genocidal Violence in Ethiopia: Deconstructing the Colonial Old Song of Divide and Conquer and the Oromo Long Journey of Struggle for Freedom, 1880-2024. Online published with Linkedin.

_________. (2018). The Theoretical, Conceptual and Functional Aspects of Strategic Leadership: Negotiation and Reconciliation in South Africa. Online published with Linkedin.

_________. (2017). Democratizing and Humanizing Global Relations: Intercultural Discourse in Political and Sociological Context. Online published with Linkedin

_________. (2017). Neo-colonialism and the Making of Homeless Societies (refugees): The Politics of Migration in the Context of Governing through Misrule. Online published with Linkedin.

_________. (2017). Ethiopian Empire as the Mirror Image of Colonial Order: Militarism, Expansion and the Scenes of Carnage in Oromia. Online published with Linkedin.

_________. (2013). Comparative Literature, Language, Culture and Power: African and Global Studies. Online published with Blogger

_________. (2013). Hegemonic Pluralism and Imperialistic Use of Language in Postcolonial and Post-Empire Africa. Online published with Blogger

_________. (2011). Weedduu/Weelluu Oromoo. Online published with Opride Media.

_________. (2016). The Expansion of Empire and Its Impact on Indigenous Societies: African Slavery and Repositioning Heroic Literary Discourse in Subaltern Studies. Online published with Blogger.

_________. (2016). The Crime of the Failed State and the Horror of Genocide in Ethiopia: The Non-Violent Struggle of the Oromo against Colonial Expansion and Savage Temper of the TPLFE/EPRDF Regime. Online published with Blogger.

_________. (2013). The Challenges and Perspectives of Globalization: Global Vision, Democracy and Local Resistance. Online published with Blogger.

References

1. Gretlund, Jan Nordby, Associate Professor - the University of Southern Denmark, Leder of Centre for American Studies (2010). “Testimonial Letter for the Scientific Research Work.” I have known Dr. Eshete as his PhD supervisor and as a colleague. In his research field of comparative literature and cultural politics, he has proved to be a reliable and efficient person with a capacity for original and challenging ideas, who devotes careful and lasting attention to every detail of his research. I am sure he will prove to an asset to any institution within the scope of his field of research.

2. Shimer, Haile, the Shawa Regional Education Office Head (1988). “Appreciation and recommendation for Research work.” Eshete Gemeda has devoted his free times and exerted his energy to do research on the improvement of teaching-learning English language at Elementary levels and prepared a supplementary book for Upper Secondary levels (grades-9-12). His effort to contribute to the curriculum is appreciable. Eshete’s research work in the area of his career is an exemplary model to our teaching staffs. He not only demonstrated his ability in his field of study, but the way he loves teaching profession itself should be given highest consideration. Shimer added that ‘Shawa’ Regional Education Office continues to encourage and support him to keep on doing similar professional work. We have herewith forwarded (sent) the documents Eshete has presented to us to the Ministry of Education (see Amharic version dated 23-11 1983).

3. Pettitt, Thomas, PhD., Associate Professor - the University of Southern Denmark, Centre for American Studies (2010). “Testimonial Letter for Postdoctoral Position.” Dr. Eshete Gemeda pursued Doctoral Studies over the period of 2005-2009, at the Kolding Campus of the University of Southern Denmark, under the auspices of the Institute of Literature, Media and Cultural Studies, culminating in the award of the degree of PhD. Dr. Gemeda brings to his research on African cultural traditions not merely an understandable urgency and personal commitment, but an impressive scholarly vigor and discipline. His work also combines a close attention to empirical material and a keen eye for detail, with a mature and comprehensive awareness of the context of both the subject and the approaches adopted within the theoretical formations of literary and cultural studies. He is a dedicated scholar who has demonstrated the resilience to achieve his aims under a challenging circumstance, and manifestly possesses the adaptability to function successfully under a range of international scholarly environments. This quality should also enable him to undertake studies and teaching commitments beyond the immediate field of Doctoral studies.

4. Gemeda, Eshete (1963-2009). “Curriculum Vitae.” Institutions of Learning (Studies): University of Southern Denmark, Institute of Literature, Cultural Studies and Media, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M (2005-2009). Hamburg University (Germany), Institute of Asian-African Studies, Edmund-Siemers-Allee 1, 20148 Hamburg (1999-2003). Business College of Southern Denmark (2013). University College of Southern Denmark (2014). Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia), Institute of Language and Literature, Main Campus, 6 Kilo (1981-1984). Harar Teachers Training Institute (1972-1973). Asella Upper Secondary School (1970-1971). Sagure Junior Secondary School (1968-1969). Munesa Elementary School (1963-1967). See the previous description under education – ‘from higher academic degrees to lowest.’

5. Hans Christian Andersen Graduate School, University of Southern Denmark, Odense (2006). The Dean Office has confirmed that Eshete Gemeda has fulfilled the PhD Programme requirements of 840 hours. The requirements include participating in PhD Courses - Project Planning and Workshops with paper, conference – The International Society for Contemporary Legend Research (ISCLR), teaching, lecturing, conferences and experience abroad (April 1, 2006, March 30-31, 2006, 4 September, 2006 and 4 December, 2006).

6. Gizaw, Zewge, Vice Minister of Education Section and Teachers’ Training (1988). “Letter to the Institute of Research and Curriculum.” On his own initiative, our colleague, Eshete Gemeda, has taken into serious consideration the imperativeness of improving the quality of education and submitted the following two research-based documents to the Ministry of Education:

• Research project with reference upgrading English language learning at elementary schools.  
• Basic English Grammar and communication as supplementary text for Upper Secondary levels (grades 9-12).

Sacrificing his free times, Eshete Gemeda has accomplished a significant professional work which help develop and enhance learning English language. His fruitful contribution to education is encouraging and must be seen as an exemplary model which others can follow. Gizaw said that the submitted documents will be assessed and Eshete must get the necessary support (see Minister’s Amharic version dated 5-11-1979).

7. Gemeda, Eshete (2013). The Challenges and Perspectives of Globalization: Global Vision, Democracy and Local Resistance. Globalization, expansion and transnational alliance are not something we heard today. These terms, which are historically associated with power arrangement and a search for economic space, had emerged in the late 15th century. The expansion of European institutions across national boundaries goes back to the early voyages of the great navigators at the end of the 15th century through to the mass migration of Europeans across the Atlantic in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the 100 years following 1430, the world was explored by the leading European maritime nations, like French, British, Spanish and Portuguese. These countries expanded the search for more space in the world and developed outward surveys, while other powerful countries continued doing research inwardly to know more about overseas as a hostile threat. Both the domestic and overseas survey projects were attended by expansion, espionage and military experts of the period. Today’s arguments of many opposing forces of globalization are rooted in this history of European Empires and the disruptive consequences of the movements of empire builders. From the early voyage and colonial expansion to the present globalization, every attempt of reshaping or re-modernizing the world to meet the ideology of global melting pot, proved itself to be both constructive and destructive. The struggle for redefining and interpreting globalization is to avoid costly mistakes of postmodernism and postcolonial era. It is the struggle for global democracy in which every nation becomes the master of its home and its establishments. Many scholars, writers and activists believe that the age of globalization has not only brought about socio-cultural compression and repression, but also generated new challenges. It may be argued that modern civilization has different phases of development (from lowest to highest) and these phases of modernity or what I call the turning-points in modern history and monumental changes, are marked by the advancement of capitalism, technological transformation, information revolution, the search for lucrative markets and political complex.

8. The PhD Assessment Committee: The Three Professors Who Evaluated Eshete Gemeda’s PhD Dissertation (2009). The balance between, and rationale for, applying New Critical methodology and New Historicism/ Cultural Studies approaches is now more precisely articulated, so that they stand forth as part of the showdown with methods. The Dissertation in its present form represents a genuine revision. The historical context of Oromo culture and education is elaborated, with distinctions being made according to different localties. The oral composition has been considered and African scholars have been consulted, thus honouring the ambition of establishing an African-centred scholarly angle (p.4).

9. Ethiopian Ministry of Education and Shawa Regional Education Office (1988).

• Eshete Gemeda was awarded certificate of merit for professional excellence by Shawa Regional Education Office - Menagesha (1988)
• He was also awarded certificate of merit for extra-ordinary professional performance from similar Education Office at ‘Sebeta Upper Secondary School’ (1988)
• Eshete received letter of appreciation and recommendation for research work from Ethiopian Ministry of Education (1990).

10. Pétursson, Magnús, Prof. Dr. - Hamburg University (2001). “Letter to Prof. Dr. Siegbert Uhlig,” Institute of Asia and African Studies. Eshete Gemeda regularly attends my course "Introduction to Phonetics" this semester. As part of this course, he wrote a seminar paper entitled "Introduction to Oromo Phonetics" in which he proves that he has a solid basic knowledge of phonetics. This small seminar paper could perhaps be the beginning for him to study the structure and phonetics of this language in more detail and in more depth (see the German version of the letter written by Prof. Dr. Magnús Pétursson – 19 June, 2002)

11. Gemeda, Eshete (2023). “The Colonial Institutional Legacy of Otherness and the Doctrine of Making Genocidal Violence in Ethiopia.” The monumental human achievements of today are attributed to producing intellectual generations who are committed to peace, modern thinking, groundbreaking scientific researches, innovations, inventions, discoveries and the building of democratic institutions that changed the world. Contrary to those greatest achievements, of which the supreme power of democracy is the centre, the modern world has faced manifold challenges and threats – dominance through expansion and militarism, conflicts, genocidal wars, traumatic disturbances, misery and Holocaust; due to the rising of violent forces, power-monger authoritarians and thoughtless trouble-makers, whose main concern is to attack democracy and colonize the human mind. The ceaseless wars in contemporary world are the wars between these two opposing forces. Repeating and reassembling irrelevant Old Songs of colonial empires and their negative legacies could mean to foster villainy and violence. Modern civilizations cannot be meaningful without respecting God’s given fundamental rights, freedom of choice, the value of liberty and inherent worth of nations.

Modern civilization is perceived as the greatest human achievement and euphoric moment instigating a conclusive break with autocratic ways of thinking and the political turmoil of that passing old. The transition to democratic life and the decolonization of the human mind convinced the Western and non-Western politicians and intellectuals to think of the history of modernity as a new chapter of great hope and development that can abolish the ugly aspects of hostility, violence, wars, genocide, and proceed in a linear, homogenous, peaceful and perfect unitary fashion. Contrary to that assumption, empires, colonialism, imperialism, slavery, power inequality, domination and expansion beyond borders, all influenced the ways in which modernity still remains unsecured. The grand narratives of globalization and modernity must therefore, be re-evaluated in terms of militarism, colonization, conflicts, genocidal wars, exclusion, displacement, poverty, alarming migrations and enslavement of humanity (p. 575).

12. Wolde-Mariam, Gebre-Sellasie – Akaki Upper Secondary School director (1990). “To Whom It May Concern.” I have known Eshete Gemeda very closely as English teacher and department head in our Upper Secondary School. In his years with us, he has shown himself a reliable, efficient and hardworking person with a capacity for original ideas, as well as close attention to detail. He is the most outstanding teacher at organizing work, preparing supplementary materials, and has got on well with all his colleagues and people around him. I have always found him scrupulous in his work. More than that, Eshete has given loyal and competent service in his professional performances.

13. Gerhardt, Ludwig, Prof. Dr., Hamburg University (2001). Subject: “Admission of Eshete Gemeda Kereyou to Doctoral Studies.” The Department of African and Ethiopian Studies is currently trying to develop a sensible work plan for Eshete, with whom it has had quite intensive working contact for some time. We would have nothing against admitting him to doctoral studies, since through his undergraduate and postgraduate studies as a teacher, his additional B.A. exam with a subsequent, incomplete M.A. study phase and finally few semesters of study in Hamburg, a job as a secondary school teacher, and also through the papers submitted to us that he wrote in addition to his qualification papers, we believe that he has the equivalent of a Master's Degree. We therefore, ask you to consider the possibility of admitting him to a doctoral program in African studies. Since internationalization is one of the central concepts of the university's mission statement, it should be possible to admit a highly motivated and resilient student from Africa to a doctoral program, even if his documents do not have the streamlined profile that we are used to from students in our latitudes (see German version of the letter of promotion - 22 November, 2001).

14. Kifle, Yimer Dr.- Addis Ababa University, Department of Foreign Languages and Literature (1984). Testimonial Letter – “To Whom It May Concern.” I have known Eshete Gemeda as my student in Fundamentals of Literature, FLEn 205; and as my advisee while he was doing his fourth-year Senior Essay [Bachelor Thesis]. I have found Eshete to be a very diligent and intelligent student. I am fully confident that he is capable of shouldering any responsibility given to him and I am certain that he will be an asset to the organization he will be joining.

15. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Nairobi (Kenya): The Process of Resettlement in Denmark (1993-1994).

• Quintero-Marino, Roberto Dr. - Senior Protection Officer, Nairobi, Kenya (15 June, 1993). Please be informed that you are kindly invited to go to JRS and book an appointment in order to see the Protection Officer. Please hand-carry this letter with you for presentation to JRS.
• Bokhari, Hafeeza – Regional Resettlement Officer, Nairobi, Kenya

(17 December 1993). SUB: “RESETTLEMENT IN DENMARK.” I am glad to inform you that you have been accepted for resettlement in Denmark; following your recent interview with the Danish Delegation. Please keep in contact with the UNHCR office for further processing.

• Christensen, Lars. W – Assistant Resettlement Officer, Nairobi, Kenya (4 February, 1994). “RESETTLEMENT IN DENMARK.” We are glad to inform you that you have been accepted for resettlement in Denmark. You are therefore, requested to report to Branch Office in Westlands so that your travel process can be finalized. Kindly note that you and your family (F/s-8) have been booked to travel on the 22nd February, 1994; but this can be confirmed only after you report to the office.

16. Gemeda, Eshete (2017). “The Analytical and Conceptual Framework for Global Challenges and Diversity Management Theory.” Modernity and modern civilization continued to be threatened because of undermining the imperativeness of recognizing, accepting and accommodating human natural differences. Managing ethno-cultural and ethno-linguistic diversities has always been one of the most problematic and debatable agendas in international politics. For decades, debates on issues related to ethnicity politics and the accommodation of cultural, linguistic, religious and economic diversities continued to dominate global integration issues. In asymmetric global societies, cross-cultural sensitivity theory as part of political sociology and conflict resolution mechanism, must be discussed among academics, business professionals and political experts. Researches of several years reveal that the existence of multi-ethnic, multicultural and multilingual societies represents enormous challenges for governance, integration and accommodation of basic differences. Intercultural sensitivity competence as a theory of managing diversity must be examined within this general framework. Although we are not living in the chaotic colonial eras of the past, global societies are still facing multiple challenges characterized by asymmetric relations, insularity mindset, extremism, repressive demands of colonial type, racial tensions, hate crimes, dominant narratives of wars, conflicts, violence, human right violations, displacements, ethnic cleansing, alarming global migrations, cultural barriers, absolute poverty, misery and the rising of competing nationalisms of different kinds. In this complex socio-political climate, remapping global condition and a fresh approach to global polarities take on special importance because they offer strategic tools that help us tackle manifold problems related to the blanket theory of globalization, dislocated parameters of relations, unqualified narratives of democracy, marginalized identity through language and culture, hegemonic pluralistic arrangement and authoritarian road-map to power (pp. xi-xii).

What emerges most clearly from modern societies is breaking up with the traditional ways of looking at the changing world. The traditionalists’ fuzzy interpretation of human relations seems to lose sense and it would be useful to move beyond the fixities. We cannot capture the dynamics of our time by standing in one place. Modernism and Postmodern movements, the challenges, predicaments and changes in Europe and elsewhere reveal this truth. In the course of every historical shift, the civilized nations make painful compromises and negotiations to live together in peace within and across the borders. The emergence of the generations of peace out of the ruins of old empires have given a space for equitable social structures and cross-cultural communications. The Bonn-Copenhagen Treaties are part of these struggles and positive developments of our times (pp. 20-21).

17. Director, Board of Postgraduate Studies, Nairobi University (1993). “Notice of Eligibility of Eshete Gemeda and his Admission for Postgraduate Studies.” I refer to your application to pursue Postgraduate Studies leading to Master of Arts (MA) Degree in the Department/ Institute/ School of Literature during the 1993/94 academic year. On behalf of the Board of Postgraduate Studies and the Senate of the University of Nairobi, I am pleased to inform that you are eligible for admission into the programme.

18. Abe, Hailu, Shawa Region Education Head – Addis Ababa (1988). “Certificate of Merit for Professional Excellence,” Awarded by the Shawa Regional Education Office. Eshete Gemeda has demonstrated the highest professional credibility in the area of his career. He is nominated as the best teacher of the year among teaching staffs and workers in Menagesha Region, and awarded this certificate of merit for his competence, diligence and monumental professional performance (see Amharic version).

19. Gemeda, Eshete (2023). “The Colonial Institutional Legacy of Otherness and the Doctrine of Making Genocidal Violence in Ethiopia.” Great speeches, using cosmetic words and creating captivating political scenery cannot be the perfect yardstick for the quality of being competent and honest. Subjective judgements of modern political games and taking individuals at face value have always been the cause of costly mistakes - tragic scenarios and destructions (xvii). We have seen several great speeches and generous pledges which seem to change the world, but many leaders whose skilful use of words captured the mental attitudes of millions of people, a great occasion in history and political realities of their time, often turned out to be barbaric and destroyers. A fine speech does not merely capture the truth of its era; but it can also depict metaphorically the crime of lying. Underneath grand speeches lie both fancy or cosmetic words and authentic ones. Some speeches contain uplifting genres to democratic freedom that encapsulate the principles of decency and liberty that we cherish and good phrases that enlighten the world. In contradistinction to this, we can read some of the most despicable speeches that darken the horizons of the free world. These are speeches by ‘tricksters’ and ‘the monsters of history’ that are the real lessons. Employing impressive language marks superb speech-making as for instance with Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela. Others are not only untrue and manipulative, but also reek of wicked, folly and villainy, which when interpreted can mask, mislead and lead to delusional disorder and destruction…. Many powerful, dramatic and captivating speeches actually reveal the character flaws and virtues of those who want to ‘sell their ideas’ in a political market. What we understand here is that the capacity to stir up people’s emotions, feelings and interests through an art of speaking or what is known as ‘rhetoric of political speeches,’ does not necessarily show genuine concerns and willingness to do what is right, desirable and just (pp. 411-412).

20. Oddershede, Jens, Vice-Chancellor – University of Southern Denmark (2010). “Congratulation on Your PhD -Degree.” Dear PhD- Graduate, I am pleased to send you an invitation to the annual celebration of the PhD -Graduates at the University of Southern Denmark taking place on Thursday, 24 June 2010, at 2 p. m in the auditorium 100 in the conference section of the Odense Campus. Further, I am happy that once again we can present so many new PhD- Graduates with a diploma, and I hope that it will be possible for you to take part in the ceremony. You are welcome to invite your family to the celebration.

21. Pohl, Manfred. Prof. Dr., Dean of the Faculty – Hamburg University (2002). “Dear Gemeda: My Warmest Congratulations.” I can well imagine your joy and relief - all the exams of the Master's Degree are behind you. The effort was worth it: you can breathe a sigh of relief, even if you may be wondering what your professional future will hold. In any case, I wish you courage and confidence. Enclosed you will find your Master's Degree certificate in duplicate. The certificate awarding you the Master's Degree that will be prepared for you in the next few weeks and presented to you at the next Graduation Ceremony. You will receive a separate invitation to this ceremony, which will take place once towards the end of the semester, which is also intended for your parents or people close to you. I would be delighted to be able to welcome you on this occasion, to congratulate you personally and to wish you all the best for the rest of your life (see German version).

22. Ayele, Kassa, Shawa Regional Education Office Head (1988). “Certificate of Merit for Professional Excellence.” Eshete Gemeda has demonstrated the highest knowledge and professional credibility in the field of his career. He is chosen as an exemplary model teacher of the year among teaching staff and workers of Sabata Upper Secondary School and awarded this certificate of merit for his diligence, academic competence and monumental professional achievements.

23. Gemeda, Eshete (2012). “African Egalitarian Values and Indigenous Genres: A Comparative Approach to the Functional and Contextual Studies of Oromo National Literature in Contemporary Perspective.” The Gadaa Renaissance, which took place from 15th century to 19th century, gave rise to the ‘rebirth’ of cultural, artistic, political and economic movements, greatly influenced the evolution of social power, the persistence of welfare tradition and egalitarian institutions. It aroused the intellect, the aesthetic faculties, the revival of culture and humanist literary philosophy. The vehement social movements of the period which led to spiritual and intellectual awakening in Oromia, have enabled literary scholars of our time to explore the process of the quest for knowledge, the standard of excellence of egalitarian school of thought and the socialization theory. The Oromo literary genres reflect these high-level qualities of social transformation processes which constitute ethnic identity formation and fundamental democratic principles. This indigenous literary study, which can be seen as the Science of the Revolution of Knowledge, covers broad central concerns in Oromo literary landscape with reference to theoretical, conceptual, textual, contextual and functional dimensions. Within these defined parameters, the critical analysis of the subject mainly focuses on interpretation, deconstruction, diachronic and synchronic methods (xiii).

In the context of the demand for the independent existence of societies, the heroic epic is associated with the rallying cry of the patriotic generations and has marked the growth of national pride. (p. 150). There is nothing greater in human history than the dignity achieved through risking life; and such a story must be told and retold so that it can appeal to us in its own right. The heroic epic cannot exist unless we believe that human beings are in themselves sufficient objects of interest and that their main claim is the pursuit of honour through heroism and risk. In a country where the notion of patriotic pride is either suppressed or not to be found as part of cultural prestige, protest narrative can hardly flourish and/or make sense to the succeeding generations. (p. 151). In re-reading and re-writing resistance literature or what we call post-empire literary criticism, what comes to our mind is, first and foremost, the way humanity is undervalued and how cherishing violence has brought about the destruction of modern civilization. The struggle for expanding postcolonial studies is, therefore, to make modern life meaningful. By meaningful, I am referring to the significance of protecting and/or securing the right to life. (p. 161).