Dr Fekadu Adugna Tufa

Dr Fekadu Adugna Tufa is an Associate Professor of Social Anthropology at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, where he has served in various roles, including Head of the Department of Social Anthropology. Currently, he is a visiting fellow collaborating with Dr Jin-ho Chung at the Transport Studies Unit in the School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, under the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx) Visiting Fellowship programme.

Dr Tufa’s research spans forced displacement, migration, borderland identities, and conflict management in the Horn of Africa. His work has been central to several multinational research initiatives, including the EU-funded TRAFIG project on Eritrean refugees and the GCRF-funded Protracted Displacement Economies study on Somali refugees in Ethiopia. With a PhD in Social Anthropology from Martin Luther University in Germany, Dr Tufa is a recognized expert in displacement studies, and he has co-authored many publications on mobility, social networks, and migration dynamics.

During his Oxford fellowship, Dr Tufa will advance his project titled “Trapped in Displacement: Im/Mobility in the Face of Climate Change and Protracted Conflict in Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State.” This research aims to explore the intersections of climate change and conflict as they affect displaced populations in the Somali Region. By examining adaptation strategies and legal frameworks, Dr Tufa’s work seeks to inform policies on climate resilience and conflict mitigation, offering insights for sustainable development in affected regions.

• Adugna, F., Rudolf, M., & Abebe, M. (2022). A matter of time and contacts: Trans-local networks and long-term mobility of Eritrean refugees. Journal of Ethnicity and Migration Studies, Special Issue.
• Adugna, F., Deshingkar, P., & Ayalew, T. (2021). "Say what the government wants and do what is good for your family": Facilitation of irregular migration in Ethiopia. In F. Gdbrehiwot & A. Kefale (Eds.), The youth on the move: Views from below on Ethiopian international migration. Hurst Publishers.