Ayele Tariku Meshesha

Biography

Dr. Ayele Tariku Meshesha is an Assistant Professor of History at Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. He earned his MA in History from Addis Ababa University in 2011 and his PhD in History from Bahir Dar University in 2023. 

Dr. Ayele is actively involved in both teaching and research, with a particular focus on historical periods ranging from the late medieval period to contemporary times. He recently served as a Visiting Researcher at the University of Edinburgh, UK, in 2024, where he worked on a project exploring traditional music, musical instruments, and banquet customs in Ethiopia. 

His primary research interests encompass conflict studies, court history, legal history, disease history, and broader societal dynamics. 

Project Information

Project Title: From Colonial Legacies to Contemporary Realities: Leprosy in Ethiopia since 1941 

My Visiting Fellowship project at the University of Leeds, under the mentorship of Professor Shane Doyle, is titled ‘From Colonial Legacies to Contemporary Realities: Leprosy in Ethiopia since 1941’. This research aims to provide a comprehensive historical analysis of leprosy in Ethiopia, specifically focusing on the period from 1941 onwards, a pivotal time following the Italian occupation and the restoration of Ethiopian sovereignty. 

Ethiopia, an ancient nation in northeastern Africa, is home to over eighty ethnic groups, with agriculture forming the backbone of its economy. Despite a strong tradition of mutual support, the nation has faced significant challenges from various diseases, with leprosy having a particularly severe impact on social cohesion. Historically, in Ethiopia, leprosy has been known by various names such as Sega Däwe (body disease), yäqoda bäśita (skin disease), and Talaqu Däwe (the big disease), and societal beliefs often linked the disease to divine punishment or the breaking of sacred oaths. Even today, some residual stigma persists, leading to self-isolation among those affected. 

My project plans to investigate how colonial health policies and pre-existing societal perceptions of leprosy shaped subsequent Ethiopian public health approaches and societal responses to the disease. I will examine the continuities and shifts in medical interventions, the establishment and evolution of leprosaria, and the experiences of individuals affected by leprosy. This includes exploring the interplay between traditional Ethiopian healing practices and modern biomedical interventions, and how these different approaches influenced the management and social understanding of the disease, which is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. 

By tracing the historical trajectory of leprosy in Ethiopia from the late medieval period to contemporary times, this project seeks to illuminate the enduring legacies of colonialism on public health and contribute to a nuanced understanding of disease history within an African context. Professor Shane Doyle's expertise in African history will be invaluable to this endeavour. 

Publications

1. The judicial system of Ethiopia: the case of ațebiya-dańa (local judge), 1940s–1960s, Cogent Arts & Humanities (2024) 
2. A History of Amba Prison and Imprisonment in Gojjam 1382 to 1941, Ethiopian Journal of Social Sciences (2023) 
3. The Christian Military in Medieval Ethiopia: The Chewa System, The Medieval History Journal (2022) 
4. Security problems and afersata in Ethiopia: The case of Semen and Begemider Governorate-General (1941-1974), African Security Review (2022) 
5. State and Society Relations from 1974 to 1991: A Case of South-western Ethiopia," Social Identities: Journal for the Study of Race, Nation and Culture (2020) 
6. Inter-group conflicts in the horn of Africa: The case of Diz and Suri people, Ethiopia, Human Affairs (2018)