Overview

In 1991, Eritrea won a 30-year war for independence from Ethiopia, and in 1993, it was recognized as Africa’s newest nation after more than a century of conquest and occupation by a succession of external powers that included the Ottomans, Egypt, Italy, Great Britain and Ethiopia. Each had left its mark, while fostering a deep distrust of outsiders and a fierce commitment to Eritrea’s separate political identity. Eritrea and Ethiopia slipped into a chronic state of no-peace-no-war that kept the entire Horn of Africa off-balance for nearly two decades, the standoff ended in 2018 when a newly installed Ethiopian prime minister reached out to Eritrea and set in motion a rapid-fire series of talks among the states of the African Horn that broke down long-standing barriers and raised hopes for a new era of regional peace and cooperation. This third edition of Historical Dictionary of Eritrea contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 600 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Eritrea.  

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9781538120651

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This expanded second edition by Connell (Simmons College) and Killion (independent scholar) (1st ed., by T. Killion, 1998) covers Eritrean history and politics from 8000 BCE to the present, with a focus on the last 200 years of Italian colonization, the 30-year war for independence, and the emergence of Eritrea as a sovereign state in 1993. It features more than 500 cross-referenced entries on key actors (particularly government officials and leaders in the PFDJ ruling party, along with opposition groups), events, places, and organizations. The introductory essay and chronology provide a concise overview of Eritrean history, and the extensive bibliography, arranged by subject, directs serious researchers to important sources. As Eritrea is the only country to have successfully seceded from another African state and as its future for democratic governance remains uncertain, it will undoubtedly continue to be of interest to scholars and practitioners. A similar but older title, C. Prouty and E. Rosenfeld's Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia and Eritrea (2nd ed., CH, Mar'95, 32-3660), covers the history of Eritrea only while it was federated with Ethiopia from 1952 to 1991. Thus, this new dictionary serves as an invaluable research tool for anyone studying Eritrean history and politics and is one of the few reference works of its kind. Summing Up: Highly recommended.--CHOICE More than 500 fully cross-referenced, alphabetically arranged entries are preceded by a chronology covering 8000 B.C.E. to the present. ... A massive classified bibliography is also provided....Useful resource to explore Eritrea's history, politics, and culture. Historical Dictionary is best suited for quick-answer ready reference. ... Recommended for all reference collections and anyone interested in Eritrea.-- (03/01/2011) Eritrea is located in the Horn of Africa, along the Red Sea. Until 1993, it had been part of Ethiopia for 30 years. Prior to that, it had been a British protectorate and an Italian colony since the late 1880s. This dictionary, covering Eritrean people, places, and events from the earliest times of Christianity to 2010, comes 12 years after the first edition was released. The second edition is greatly expanded and has a new author, Connell, a journalist and lecturer in politics at Simmons College who updated the material originally written by now coauthor Killion. More than 100 pages of new material have been added for this edition, and numerous articles have been updated. The introduction to the text provides a good starting point for Eritrean history as well as the demographics and culture of the country. The extensive bibliography provides further reading in many areas. An updated chronology provides a list of important dates in Eritrean history. ... Recommended for academic and large public libraries.-- (02/01/2011)

More than 500 fully cross-referenced, alphabetically arranged entries are preceded by a chronology covering 8000 B.C.E. to the present. ... A massive classified bibliography is also provided....Useful resource to explore Eritrea's history, politics, and culture. Historical Dictionary is best suited for quick-answer ready reference. ... Recommended for all reference collections and anyone interested in Eritrea.-- (03/01/2011) Eritrea is located in the Horn of Africa, along the Red Sea. Until 1993, it had been part of Ethiopia for 30 years. Prior to that, it had been a British protectorate and an Italian colony since the late 1880s. This dictionary, covering Eritrean people, places, and events from the earliest times of Christianity to 2010, comes 12 years after the first edition was released. The second edition is greatly expanded and has a new author, Connell, a journalist and lecturer in politics at Simmons College who updated the material originally written by now coauthor Killion. More than 100 pages of new material have been added for this edition, and numerous articles have been updated. The introduction to the text provides a good starting point for Eritrean history as well as the demographics and culture of the country. The extensive bibliography provides further reading in many areas. An updated chronology provides a list of important dates in Eritrean history. ... Recommended for academic and large public libraries.-- (02/01/2011) This expanded second edition by Connell (Simmons College) and Killion (independent scholar) (1st ed., by T. Killion, 1998) covers Eritrean history and politics from 8000 BCE to the present, with a focus on the last 200 years of Italian colonization, the 30-year war for independence, and the emergence of Eritrea as a sovereign state in 1993. It features more than 500 cross-referenced entries on key actors (particularly government officials and leaders in the PFDJ ruling party, along with opposition groups), events, places, and organizations. The introductory essay and chronology provide a concise overview of Eritrean history, and the extensive bibliography, arranged by subject, directs serious researchers to important sources. As Eritrea is the only country to have successfully seceded from another African state and as its future for democratic governance remains uncertain, it will undoubtedly continue to be of interest to scholars and practitioners. A similar but older title, C. Prouty and E. Rosenfeld's Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia and Eritrea (2nd ed., CH, Mar'95, 32-3660), covers the history of Eritrea only while it was federated with Ethiopia from 1952 to 1991. Thus, this new dictionary serves as an invaluable research tool for anyone studying Eritrean history and politics and is one of the few reference works of its kind. Summing Up: Highly recommended.--CHOICE

In this book Connell (Boston Univ.) recounts the creation of the modern nation-state of Eritrea. Once a part of Ethiopia, Eritrea was subject to almost a century of conquest, occupation, and colonial rule, before reverting to Ethiopian sovereignty after WW II. What followed was a 30-year war for independence, finally won in 1991, making Eritrea, at the time, Africa's youngest country (until the independence of South Sudan in 2011). To understand this fledgling nation's standing today, Connell's ready reference tracks its historical developments, from ancient times to the present, through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and more than 500 cross-referenced dictionary entries on significant persons, events, places, and organizations, many of which contributed to Eritrea's modern statehood, as well as on politics, economy, society, and culture. Despite years of turmoil since independence, Connell suggests that recent improvements in the national economy and in the peace process with Ethiopia may portend positive developments in the future. In this exhaustive text, Connell also includes items of historical importance and Eritrean landmarks to assist readers as they seek to study, understand, and better appreciate this country. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.

Author Information

Dan Connell is a visiting scholar at Boston University’s African Studies Center and a retired senior lecturer in journalism and African politics at Simmons College, Boston. He has also consulted for numerous development agencies and human rights organizations and is the founder and former director of Grassroots International. He is currently working on a book on the experiences of Eritrean refugees.

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