Kidane Mengisteab is Professor of African Studies and Political Science at the Pennsylvania State
University. The focus of his current research includes security in the Greater Horn of Africa, relevance of ‘traditional’ institutions to Africa’s governance; socioeconomic implications of
extractive industries and commercial farming in Africa; and alternative approaches to democratization in Africa. He is the author or editor of several books on Africa. His book, The Horn of Africa: Hot Spots in Global Politics: was published by Polity Press, in 2015. His most recent book is an edited volume titled The Crisis of Democratization in the Greater Horn of Africa, James Currey, 2020.