Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Public Policy (CPP) hosted a book launch on August 15, 2023, for Dr. Logan Cochrane, Associate Professor, and his new publication, Citizens Civil Society and Activism under the EPRDF Regime in Ethiopia: An Analysis from Below. 

Dr. Cochrane served as co-editor of the book, which explores civic activism in Ethiopia throughout the duration of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front’s (EPRDF)  decades-long rule until 2019 and presents examples of how its citizens expressed their interests and exerted their agency in an authoritarian setting. This collection of writings challenges state-centric readings of state-society relations under EPRDF governance and establishes a counternarrative that emphasizes the role and agency of citizens and civil society.

The book launch featured a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Cochrane, which saw several  contributing authors discuss and reflect on their collective findings. The panel included Dr. Hanna Lemma, Founder of Addis Powerhouse; Dr. Kiya Gezahegne, Assistant Professor, Social Anthropology, Addis Ababa University; Abduletif Kedir Idris, Lecturer, Center for Human Rights, Addis Ababa University; and Dr. Kenneth Maes, Associate Professor and Director, Applied Anthropology Graduate Program, School of Language, Culture & Society, Oregon State University.

HBKU’s CPP provides a uniquely situated venue for public conversation in Qatar and a center for both teaching and researching responses to policy questions of local and global relevance. In line with HBKU’s institutional goals, CPP transcends borders to facilitate expertise and build capacity in Qatar and beyond.