The report shows the results of the Russian-Ethiopian historic and ethnographic expedition – a joint scientific project of two countries, successfully implemented in the early 1990s. Advanced results achieved by this expedition were much owed to participation of several leading Russian and Ethiopian scientific centers and universities – the Institute for African Studies, the Institute of Asian and African Countries at Lomonosov Moscow State University, Addis Ababa University and Institute for Ethiopian Studies, The Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations, and others.
The participants of the expedition gathered and summarized a large body of data acquired during opinion polls, held in the course of the visits to a number of educational, medical, economic and manufacturing centers and organizations, including workshops, agricultural farms, banks, scientific centers.
The collected scientific data has allowed, based on multi-factor analysis, to specify the nature of evolutionary processes in communal relations, efficiency of various aspects of federalism policy in a cosmopolitan country. Its value is reflected by applicability and sharp demand for a scientific view on one of the most troubled sides of social and political life of many African countries, and of the modern world.
Based on the field research, a high number of articles and monographs have been prepared and published in the Russian Federation. They include “Report on Field Studies of Ethiopia Carried Out by Russian Historical, Ethnic, Sociological, Expedition, 1990–1992”, “Ethiopia: History, Culture and Ethnicity”, “Ethiopia: the Particular Features of Federalism”, “Drama in Modern Ethiopian Literature and Theatre”, “Mission in Ethiopia. African Policy of the USSR in the eyes of the Soviet Diplomat. 1956–1982”, two volumes of “Africa” encyclopedia and others.
