Ethiopian Journal of Business and Social Sciences

Repressive State Apparatus in mɨnkuħkʷaħ zəjfɨlləjo maʕs’o: An Ethiopian Political Novel

Tsegaberhan Wodaj — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The question of ideology is crucial to African literature because it reflects the historical circumstances of the society and lets society perceive the nature of its ideology at a certain time. It is accurate to state that literature, whether directly or indirectly, is an expression of the concept of ideology. Thus, the purpose of this article is to examine the repressive state infrastructure and ideology in a particular Tigrigna political fiction. The researcher used a qualitative and textual research approach and analysis because the study was centered on a literary work. This paper's primary focus is a detailed analysis of the oppressive machinery employed by the previous administrations. This work is important because it introduces other scholars to the idea of ideology and how it is portrayed socio-politically in novels. Althusser's Repressive State Apparatus served as the theoretical foundation for this investigation. As components of the repressive state apparatus, the police, the court, the prison, and the administrators were recognized as the main categories of the repressive apparatus in the novel.

The Contribution of Urban Socio-spatial Planning for Urban Pre-school Infrastructure Challenges: in the Context of Rapid Urbanization in Addis Ababa

Tsiyon Ermyas Helesabo, Frew Mengistu — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0300

This study assessed the role of urban socio-spatial planning for urban pre-school infrastructure space challenges. The study analysed policy, institutional and practice gaps in the context of rapidly urbanizing city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A total of two private and two public pre-schools were selected from two sub cities/woredas in Addis Ababa as cases. Employing qualitative case study design, both primary and secondary sources were consulted. The primary data was collected from in-depth interview. 26 participants were selected using purposive sampling technique from urban planning and children education sectors, based on the study selection criteria. The secondary data was collected from policy documents of urban planning policies, proclamations and articles, pre-school education policies, ECCE and implementation reports, academic literatures and theoretical perspectives on child education as well as scholar findings on the analytical theme. The data analysis technique was discourse thematic data analysis approach. The study found that, lack of quality preschool practice in public and private contexts suffered lack of sufficient built school environment. The planning policy requirements for preschool environment and ECCE are not implementing rather remained as policy. Lack of institutional cooperation and accountability in both sectors made preschools dysfunctional. Lack of awareness of their roles exposed preschools to operate in poor quality environment. The study concluded that, preschools facilities need intervention from socio-spatial planning to create healthy environment for children. Learning environment brings lasting impact on children emotional, mental, psychological, academic and social capabilities. Thus, healthy infants’ early learning and development require adequate built environment.

QUANTIFICATION OF LAND USE CHANGE IMPACT ON ECOSYSTEM SERVICE VALUE IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIAN RIFT VALLEY LAKE BASIN AT BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT AREA

mohmmed Seid, Belay Simanea, Ermias Teferi, Asnake Boyana — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 10:54:24 +0300

ABSTRACT

Quantifying the Ecosystem Services Value(ESV) is essential to make socioeconomic activities environmentally sustainable in Ethiopia, where natural ecosystems are deteriorating, including in Protected Areas(PAs) due to increased anthropogenic pressures, Although ESV studies show progress, ESV coefficients for ecosystem services (ES) in Ethiopia have not yet been established. This study is the first to develop equivalent factors at the national level and coefficients at the district level for 23 ES types, following a unit value approach. It also quantified the total ESV and changes therein linked with land use change observed in Nechsar National Park between 2002 and 2040. Different datasets: land use/cover, ES valuation, empirical ESV studies, per unit area price of food crops, ESV of cultivated land for food production services, various statistical formulas, geospatial tools, price standardization indices and difference adjustment indices (ecological, economic, and social) were used in different steps of the study. The results (<0.5) of the sensitivity analysis indicated that the developed coefficients are adequately reliable to estimate ESV along with the area of land types in the study area. The results showed that NNP has experienced a continued reduction in its total ESV with US$ 4.08x10⁶ and 1.01x10⁶ net loss in the first- and second-time intervals, respectively. Forest land and woodland are the leading resources to provide essential ES. For 67.93% reduction in total ESV was attributed to the land loss from these land types from 2002 to 2020. Apart from the magnitude, the direction of land transitions considerably affects the spatiotemporal change/gain and loss/ ESV. The study provides site-specific and long-term evidence that can help stakeholders to understand the consequences of LUC, resolve interest conflicts over land use, and implement practicable interventions.

Keywords: ecosystem service flow, Net gain, equivalent coefficient