Rethinking Civil-Military Relations in Africa: Beyond the Coup d' Etat

Though Africa historically has been the site of countless military coups d’état, civil-military relations across the continent have changed dramatically in recent years. What do these changes say about the military’s ongoing role in Africa’s political and social institutions? How useful are conventional models for understanding civil-military relations in the African context? The authors of Rethinking Civil-Military Relations in Africa address these questions, exploring the nature and significance of evolving relationships between political authority, military power, and society. Contents Tables and Figures Acknowledgments 1 Rethinking Civil-Military Relations in Africa 2 Political Legitimacy and Military Interventions 3 The African Union and the “Good Coup” 4 The “Coup Taboo” and Authoritarian Politics 5 African Militaries and Contemporary Warfare 6 Military Effectiveness: The African Alternative 7 Security Sector Reform and Civil-Military Relations 8 Beyond the Coup d’État? Acronyms Bibliography The Contributors Index About the Book