The study looked at how ethnic decentralization in Ethiopia affects cities like Adama and Hawassa. It found that while the country's ethnic federal system works well at a national level, it struggles to accommodate diverse urban identities and interests. This has led to exclusion and inclusion based on ethnicity and politics in the cities. The decentralization of conflict and bargaining over power and resources has shifted to the local level, changing how statehood is negotiated in these multiethnic cities.