From the Editor

Over the past 35 years, Northeast African Studies has published many articles and commentaries on the Ethiopian revolution, but this is the first time the journal has devoted an entire issue to reflections on the revolution’s longer-term socioeconomic impact and historical significance. The editors hope the contributions included here will stimulate thoughtful responses from readers who may have new information to add to the discussion or who may draw different conclusions from those of our authors. Major social upheavals invariably have diverse effects in different regions of a country and on disparate social classes and interest groups, both in their immediate aftermath and in the longer run. As more evidence emerges and new scholarship appears, the significance of Ethiopia’s revolution will surely continue to generate lively debate. NEAS invites readers to join in that discussion by submitting their own articles or short commentaries for consideration by the editors; those accepted will be published in a ‘Forum’ section to appear periodically in future issues.

As this special issue was being assembled, Managing Editor James De Lorenzi had to step down because of new family and professional responsibilities. Having assumed James’s tasks along with my own as General Editor for the past six months, I can fully appreciate how much work James has put in to ensure the timely and professional production of NEAS over the years since 2010. We owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his service as Managing Editor and look forward to his continuing (and perhaps less stressful) contributions as a member of the journal’s Editorial Advisory Board.

We are also delighted that Tim Carmichael has agreed to assume the role of Managing Editor for at least the next two years. Tim has been associated with NEAS since 1998 and has served as its Book Review Editor since 2011. His extensive contacts with colleagues and young scholars in the Horn of Africa as well as his experience as an editor with H-Africa and a reviewer for several scholarly journals and academic publishers make him an ideal person to build on our journal’s record and to lead it forward. As NEAS strives to extend its reach to new authors and new audiences, friends in the field should expect to hear from Tim as to how they might contribute to the journal’s ongoing success. We trust that all will respond with vigor and enthusiasm!