Tsila: the social construction of the enemy. Youth marginality and ethnic stigma before the Tigray war

The paper investigates the social construction of the “enemy” through the lens of youth marginalization and ethnic stigma in the context preceding the 2020 Tigray War in Ethiopia. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, mostly based in Tigray, the study argues that the dichotomy of “enemy/friend” is rooted in the social production of symbolic boundaries. This article aims to explore how historical narratives and political dynamics have been used to frame certain regional groups, particularly the Tigrayans, as the “enemy” leading up to the outbreak of the war. It also discusses how youth marginality and ethnic stigma may be intertwined in processes of “otherness”. The article highlights how the strategic use of symbolic boundaries can facilitate individual trajectories of both acceptance and avoidance of conflict and violence. Building on these premises, it examines how various social actors deploy such boundaries to navigate an uncertain political landscape. By examining the micro-level dynamics of social relations and the macro-level forces shaping ethnic nationalism, the study aims to provide a combined understanding of the socio-political factors underlying the recent conflict in Tigray. The findings contribute to the broader literature on the social construction of identity, ethnicity and youth marginality in highly conflictual contexts.