Lexington Books
Pages: 154
Trim: 6¼ x 9¼
978-1-4985-0743-1 • Hardback • October 2015 • $102.00 • (£78.00)
978-1-4985-0744-8 • eBook • October 2015 • $96.50 • (£74.00)
Daniel Zirker is professor of political science at the University of Waikato.
Forward Daniel Zirker- Introduction
Daniel Zirker- The Army and Politics in Guinea
Mamadou Diouma Bah- Military Identity in Nigeria
Ibikunle Adeakin- Tanzania and Uganda: Contrasting Similarities
Daniel Zirker- Ethnopolitics and the Military in Kenya
Thomas Stubbs 6Political Ethnicity and the Military in AlgeriaYassine Belkamel- Forging a Military Identity in Suriname
Paulo Gustavo Pellegrino Correa- Conclusion
Daniel Zirker
This timely and long-overdue compendium sheds light on the role of the military in ethnically divided societies. Going beyond professionalism and class, the study sees the military in divided societies as a quasi ethnic group ready to defend its interest and position in such settings. This is an important contribution to our understanding of political developments in ethnically pluralistic and frequently divided societies.
— Constantine Danopoulos, San Jose State University
Civil-Military Relations in post-colonial, post-Cold War, Africa remains understudied, making Daniel G. Zirker’s Forging Military Identity in Culturally Pluralistic Societies: Quasi-Ethnicity a great contribution to this endeavor. By accentuating the challenge African militaries face in maintaining institutional autonomy amidst ethno-political and other socio-cultural rifts afflicting African societies, this book vindicates Morris Janowitz’s argument while also unravelling Africa-specific experiences that puzzlingly defy theoretical expectations–whether from an institutional, structural, or identity perspective–as variations within plural East Africa reveal. The book is highly recommended for policymakers, researchers, and students of African politics.
— Sabastiano Rwengabo, National University of Singapore