Oromo Studies Association · Est. 1986
Who We Are
A Global Scholarly Community
Founded in 1986, the Oromo Studies Association is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary organization dedicated to advancing scholarship on the Oromo people, the largest ethnolinguistic group in Ethiopia and one of the largest in Africa, numbering over 40 million people across the Horn of Africa.
OSA was established by Oromo and non-Oromo scholars united by a common purpose: to create a rigorous, independent academic home for the study of Oromo history, culture, language, governance, and identity. At a time when Oromo voices were systematically marginalized in mainstream scholarship and political life, OSA offered something essential. It was a space where knowledge about the Oromo people could be produced, debated, and shared on its own terms.
Today, OSA brings together researchers, educators, students, community members, and advocates from across disciplines and continents. We are a global scholarly community, and our work reaches far beyond the academy.
Our Mission
Advancing Knowledge, Centering Oromo Voices
The Oromo Studies Association is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary organization established to promote and foster scholarly studies in all fields pertaining to the Oromo people. To realize its objectives, the Oromo Studies Association guides, develops and promotes scholarship on the history, economy, culture, health, education, politics and laws of the Oromo, in addition to biological and biomedical sciences, physical sciences, social welfare and other disciplines as they pertain to the Oromo.
We believe that knowledge is a form of justice.
For too long, the Oromo, bearers of one of the world’s most sophisticated democratic traditions in the Gadaa system and speakers of Afaan Oromoo, the third most widely spoken language in Africa, were rendered invisible or misrepresented in global scholarship. OSA exists to correct that record, deepen that understanding, and ensure that Oromo knowledge systems are recognized as contributions to the full breadth of human civilization.
01
The Journal of Oromo Studies
Since 1993, the Journal of Oromo Studies has served as the premier peer-reviewed publication for interdisciplinary scholarship on the Oromo. Now fully open-access, JOS publishes articles, research notes, and scholarly book reviews in both English and Afaan Oromoo, welcoming contributions from emerging and established scholars alike.
02
Annual Conferences
OSA convenes two academic conferences each year, the Annual Conference and the Mid-Year Conference, bringing together scholars, students, and community members for panels, keynote presentations, and cultural exchange. These gatherings are among the most important forums for Oromo scholarship in the world.
03
Awards and Recognition
OSA celebrates scholarly excellence through its awards program, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, which honors individuals who have made enduring contributions to Oromo studies and to the broader Oromo community.
04
Membership and Community
OSA membership is open to anyone committed to the advancement of Oromo scholarship, including students, independent researchers, academics, and community members. Members receive access to the full Journal archive, discounted conference registration, and connection to a global network of scholars.
40
Years of Scholarship
29
Journal Volumes Published
50M+
Oromo People Worldwide
Our Story
Four Decades of Oromo Scholarship
The Oromo are among the most historically significant peoples of the African continent. Their Gadaa system, a millennia-old democratic governance structure based on generational age sets, egalitarian principles, and rotating leadership, predates and rivals comparable institutions anywhere in world history. Their language, Afaan Oromoo, is among the most widely spoken in Africa. Their cultural practices, from the Irreecha thanksgiving ceremony to the traditions of the Borana, reflect a civilization of extraordinary depth and resilience.
For much of the 20th century, Oromo history was suppressed, their language banned from education and government, and their institutions dismissed or ignored by mainstream scholarship.
OSA was founded in response to that absence. The Association was established to study and illuminate the ancient legacies, governance systems, language, and rich cultural traditions of the Oromo people. Over four decades, OSA scholars have contributed decisively to the understanding of Oromo institutions and values, advancing their study into global scholarly discourse.
As OSA marks its 40th anniversary, that work continues with new scholars, new questions, and renewed urgency.