Comparative Case Analysis of Constituent Unit Boundary Making Processes in Ethiopia, India, and South Africa

Abstract

The foundation of federal systems of governments is the division of territory into political states, provinces, or regions (also known as constituent units). This article examines the processes and criteria used for redrawing constituent unit boundaries in Ethiopian, Indian, and South African federal systems. It uses a qualitative comparative approach, synthesizing secondary data from academic literature, legal documents, and policy analyses. Thematic coding guided the analysis of the data. The study found that the divergent criteria utilized to redraw the constituent unit boundaries in the three federations depend on the nature of each country’s population for political mobilization around identity for self-rule. In Ethiopia and India, ethnic, linguistic, historical, and administrative factors mainly affected the boundary-redrawing process. In South Africa, balancing administrative efficiency and ethnicity has engineered the provincial boundary design. The criteria, number, name, and boundaries of constituent units have been changing over time, adding non-ethnic factors in both Ethiopia and India. South Africa prioritizes administrative efficiency over ethnic recognition, while Ethiopia prioritizes strong group recognition. The study suggests that federalism should be viewed with caution, as it does not create a “peaceable kingdom”.