From Bullies to Officers and Gentlemen : How Notions of Professionalism and Civility Transformed the Ghana Armed Forces

Based on unprecedented access to the Ghanaian military barracks and inspired by the recent resurgence of coups in West Africa, Agyekum assesses why and how the Ghana Armed Forces were transformed from an organization that actively orchestrated coups into an institution that accepts the authority of the democratically elected civilian government. Focusing on the process of professionalization of the Ghanaian military, this ethnography based monograph examines both historical and contemporary themes, and assesses the shift in military personnel from ‘Buga Buga’ soldiers – uneducated, lower-class soldiers, human rights abusers – to a more ‘modern’ fighting force. Contents List of Figures Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Introduction Chapter 1. The Breakdown of Everydayness Chapter 2. On Hierarchy and Trust: ‘Monkeys Play by Sizes’ Chapter 3. On Discipline: Disciplining the Body and the Mind Chapter 4. New Soldiers on the Block: From Buga-Buga Soldier to Disciplined Soldier Subjects Chapter 5. Factors of Continual Subjection Chapter 6. Transformation in Broad Perspective: Professionalism, Civility and Civil–Military Relations Conclusion References Index Based on unprecedented access to the Ghanaian military barracks and inspired by the recent resurgence of coups in West Africa, the book assesses why and how the Ghana Armed Forces were transformed from an organisation that actively orchestrated coups into an institution that accepts the authority of the democratically elected civilian government.