The relentless political pressure the Ethiopian government put on Ethiopian journalists, political dissidents and opposition activists drove hundreds of them out of their country. However, after leaving their country, the journalists and the opposition activists remain engaged in the politics of their country of origin through the media outlets they establish in diaspora. Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT) and Oromia Media Network (OMN) are two media platforms that have emerged in the United States under such conditions. This dissertation chronicles the rise of ESAT and OMN and their far reaching political influence in Ethiopia. Using mixed method research, it provides their detailed profiles that range from their inception, to their impact on the Ethiopian public sphere and the Ethiopian government’s response to them, to their reporting of political events in Ethiopia. This research makes the case that ESAT and OMN, through the instrumentality of a transnational public sphere have altered the Ethiopian political dynamics during the last five years. Particularly, ESAT and OMN use Facebook and Twitter as a backbone to gather information and foster relationships with news sources inside Ethiopia; they also transmit uncensored information back to Ethiopia via satellite television. In response to their communication activities, the Ethiopian government seeks to undermine the links that ESAT and OMN have in the country by routinely blocking the internet, requesting Facebook and Twitter to take down their content and jamming their satellite transmissions. The Ethiopian government also responds to the reporting of ESAT and OMN by changing its policy positions on domestic political issues. This illustrates that Ethiopian political exiles remain key players of Ethiopian political dynamics in ways that thoroughly exemplify trans-local reciprocity. It also shows that ESAT and OMN might very well be a prototype of a diaspora community media that keeps grievances alive and magnifies ideological differences they brought with them to the United States. / 2021-01-11

Thesis advisor: Hans deWit / Ethiopia has long been affected by the out flow of its educated citizens. In major host countries, like the United States, the Ethiopian diaspora constitutes a considerable number of highly educated professionals, including those who work in academic and research institutions. Meanwhile, the fast-growing Ethiopian higher education severely suffers from lack of highly qualified faculty. In recent years members of the Ethiopian academic diaspora have been engaged in various initiatives towards supporting the emerging Ethiopian higher education. Yet, these initiatives have been fragmented, individually carried out, and challenged by the lack of a systemic approach, among other things. Further, there are only few studies examining diaspora engagement in the Ethiopian context, much less specific to higher education. The purpose of this research is, therefore, to offer deeper insight into the formation and implementation of transnational engagement initiatives by the Ethiopian academic diaspora. The research explores the motivation for and the modalities of engagement, as well as the enabling and challenging factors. This study employs phenomenological approach and Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice as a lens to analyze data from in-depth interviews with 16 Ethiopian diaspora academics in the US. The research departs from previous works by examining the issues from the perspectives of those who have first-hand experience of the phenomenon. Its findings reveal that transnational engagement among academic diaspora is shaped by complex and multi-layer personal, institutional and broader environmental factors, which transcend common considerations in addressing brain drain. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2020. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

Diaspora communities are becoming an essential part of socioeconomic and political developments of their homeland countries. The problem addressed by this study is that after ethnic federalism was implemented in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian diaspora in the US is divided along ethnic lines, causing human resource management and law enforcement challenges within the communities in the host country. The purpose of this study was to describe the impacts of Ethiopia's ethnic-based federalism on its diaspora residing in a US metropolitan area. The theoretical framework was based on Teshome and ZáhoÅ?ík's theory of ethnic federalism and Safran's theory of diaspora. The key research question examined how ethnic-based federalism in Ethiopia affects perceptions of members of the Ethiopian diaspora in the US. This qualitative ethnographic study included interviews with 15 members of the Ethiopian diaspora community residing in the Washington, DC metro area. The data were thematically coded and analyzed with the help of qualitative data analysis software. Findings revealed that the Ethiopian diaspora in the US is constantly involving in its homeland affairs, although in a fragmented and dis-unified manner. Ethnic-based federalism is not only divisive but also serving as the main source for ethnic bias among the Ethiopian diaspora. Ethnic resentment has surfaced and created a we versus them mentality in every aspect of diaspora's life activities. Recommendations include the Ethiopian government establishing a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and identifying a better form of federalism for the country. The implications for positive social change include integrating voices of the Ethiopian diaspora community in the policy making processes of the home and host governments.

The rapid expansion of technology has posed challenges in moderating hateful content on social media platforms, particularly in non-text formats like TikTok videos. This study addresses a significant gap in scholarly research by examining the intersection of TikTok and journalistic content within the Ethiopian diaspora community. The research aims to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of hate speech in ethnic-based social media platforms operated by the Ethiopian diaspora, focusing on two prominent platforms: Ethio 360 Media and Gadaa Media Network (Gadaa MN), representing the Amhara and Oromo ethnic groups, respectively. Employing content analysis methodology, the study examines a hundred TikTok video clips from these platforms, drawing upon the theoretical framework of Framing Theory. This framework encompasses Frame Amplification, Frame Transformation, and Frame Contest, allowing for the identification of distinct patterns in hate speech language and content presentation between the two platforms. Key findings highlight several significant insights: (1) Both Ethio 360 Media and Gadaa MN exhibit similarities in hate speech, particularly in incitement of violence or threats. However, Ethio 360 Media employs uniquely demeaning and dehumanizing language, absent in Gadaa MN's journalistic content; (2) Analysis of hate speech types reveals differences in prevalence and focus within journalistic content, with both platforms engaging in politics-based hate speech but disparities emerging in ethnicity-based hate speech; (3) Examination of targeted entities unveils differing framing strategies, with both platforms targeting the Ethiopian government but diverging in their approaches toward other entities such as the Oromo ethnic group and educational institution; (4) Analysis of news coverage genres indicates variations in content presentation, with Ethio 360 Media relying more on commentary while Gadaa MN focuses predominantly on straight newscasts; (5) Exploration of news coverage areas reveals distinct content focuses between the two platforms, with Ethio 360 Media covering Ethiopia as a whole and various regions within the country, while Gadaa MN primarily focuses on the Oromia Region, occasionally covering foreign countries or regions.