BAYERO UNIVERSITY, KANO
FACULTY OF SOCIAL AND
MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL
SCIENCE
POL 4301: MILITARY,
SOCIETY AND POLITICS IN THE THIRD WORLD
ACADEMIC YEAR 2013/2014
INSTRUCTOR: M. M. YUSIF
Introduction
In what sense can one identify
military-both as an institution, a fighting force, a distinct group with
interest – with politics, and therefore look at Military as an actor in various
political activities.
Politics is seen as a science which
tries to understand and analyse the conflict and political practices of
distinct but social groups each striving to win over and dominate the others.
In this connection the military is one
distinct actor which with other interest groups form a structure of society.
However, the question is how can one be
able to understand differences in a system of social relations which define the
society.
This perhaps can be done historically by
showing through theoretical periscope, the conflict and cooperation between
various distinct groups that make the society.
In light of this, the groups could
either remain or change from their original form or disappear.
The objectives of the course are:
1- To
expose students to major theoretical perspectives in the study of military as
part of the society.
2- To
explore the effect of changes in the international economy and how that
impacted on military politics and relations with other groups in the society.
3- To
understand the relation of military as a political actor with other actors in
the society
The course is divided into four parts of
a single process of development of knowledge. The first deals with concepts and
major theoretical perspectives. Second treats the relationship of military with
other social forces including state, left forces, globalisation interests and
the private armies. Third brings about how changes in the global economy
transforms military interest, organisation and operation. Part four deals with
case studies on the role of military in the political crisis in Egypt and in
the Revolution in Rawlings Ghana and Mengistus Ethiopia.
TOPICS
AND READINGS
1-
General
Introduction: Overview of the course; topics and readings; aid for learning and
research; assessment of the teaching programme by students; socialisation by
students; other things; division of students into seminars
Essential Reading
1. Stephen
V.F. “Guide to methods for students of political science”
2. Margaret
Stacey, Social Science Research method pgs 1-49
3. David
Garson, Handbook of political science method pgs 1-6; 135-146
Revision Question:
-
Take any idea in
political science and conceptualise it.
2-
State
of the Course “Military and Politics”
Essential Reading
1. Robin
Luckham, “The Military, Militarisation and Democratisation in Africa: A survey
of literature and issues
Revision Question
1. Construct
a paradigmatic shift of the said survey of literature on the subject under
study
3-
Clarification
of basic concepts: Military; Society; Politics; Third World
Essential Readings
General
Discussion Question:
-
Globalisation reconstituted
the economic structure of the Third World. Does it also do the same with
structure and interest of military formations in Third World countries
4-
Military
– Society relations: Some perspectives
Essential Readings
1. Timothy
E. “The Armed forces and society: A framework for Analysis”. Journal of Armed
forces and society
2. Anthony
Forster, Armed Forces and Society in Europe pgs 1-18.
3. Jack
Woddis, Armies and politics
4. Gruta
S. “A twin van in understanding military and politics
5. Christopher
Dandeker, “The Military in Democratic Societies: New Times and New Patterns of
Civil-military relations
Discussion Questions
-
Make criticisms of (1)
and (2) above
-
What does “New
Democratic Environment” provide for control of the military?
5-
Military,
globalisation and politics
Essential Readings
1. Suzanne
B., “Globalisation and politics”
2. William
I. Robinson, “Gramsci and Globalisation: From Nation state to Transnational
Hegemony
3. A.
F. Klimenko, “Globalisation and its impact on military politics and strategy”
4. Martin
Shaw, “The Development of Common Risk Society: A Theoretical overview
Discussion Questions
-
One perspective of the
debate covered in the literature is the globalisation of state power. How does
this affect military institution
-
Global changes local
transformation. Examine this with reference to any African Country
6-
Military,
State and Fiscal policy
Essential Readings
-
James O’ Connor, The
corporations and the state. Chapter 6
-
Eboe Hutchful and
Abdoulaye Bathily (eds.). The Military and Militarism in Africa. Chapters 2 and
4
Discussion Question
-
Make an analysis of
allocation to defence vis-a-vis other sectors of the economy by 2014 budget of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria. What is the implication for social and
economic development of Nigeria
7-
Military
and private Armies: Collapse of state
Essential Readings
1. Stefan
Mair, “The New World of Privatised violence”. International Politics and
Society. Vol. 2/2003
2. William
Reno, Warlord Politics and African states. Chapters 3 and 4
3. William
Zartman (ed.) Collapse state chapter 3
Discussion Question
-
Who is a warlord? What
happened to state under warlord politics?
8-
Military
and transformation of the mode of warfare
Essential Readings
1. Gerald
Schneider, “War in the era of globalisation”
2. Phillip
Hammond, Post modernity goes to war
Discussion Question
-
Globalisation decreases
the danger of destructive wars. Examine this statement from corporate interest
and from military strategy
9-
Globalisation
and Expansion of military violence
Essential Readings
1. David
Held, “The expanding reach of organised violence”. In David Held et al (eds.).
global transformation: politics, economy and culture.
2. John
Fefffe, “Militarisation in the age of globalisation”
3. Boggs
Carl, “Globalisation and neo-militarism
Discussion Question
-
Why violence of various
forms expanded and spread, especially in the developing world
10-
Military
Coups: Class perspectives
Discussion Readings
1. Jack
Woddis, op cit.
2. Terisa
Turner and Pade Badru, Oil and Instability: Class contradictions and the 1983
Coup in Nigeria”. Journal of African Marxists Issue 7(1985)
3. Ghana:
Social class, the December Coup, and the prospects of Socialism
4. Emmanuel
Hansen and Paul Collins, “The Army, the State, and the Rawlings Revolution in
Ghana” in African Affairs
5. Jan
Pieter’s, “Rawlings and the 1979 revolt in Ghana”. Race and class, 1902
6. John
Markakis and Nega Ayele, class and Revolution in Ethiopia.
7. Fred
Halliday and Maxime Molyneux, The Ethiopian Revolution
8. Shehu
Othman, “Classes, Crises and Coup: The demise of Shagari Regime”. African
Affairs
Discussion Question
1. Military
intervention in politics to take over state power is a logic of social class or
fraction of a social class. Discuss
11-
Military
and the Left
Essential Readings
1. Bjorn
Beckman, “The Military as Revolutionary Vanguard: a critique” ROAPE No.
27(1986)
2. Peter
Anyang Nyongo, “Soldiers and Counter Revolution” Journal of African Marxists.
Issues 3(1983)
3. Emmanuel
Hansen, “The Military and Revolution in Ghana”. Journal of African Marxists”.
Issues 2(1982)
4. Kwarteng
Mensah, “The December intervention and the current situation in Ghana. Race and
class No. 1(1982)
5. Piet
Konings, “The state and the Defence Committees in the Ghanian Revolution,
1981-1984
6. No
name, “Ghana’s Revolutionary Process: The ideological conflict”
Discussion Question
-
Criticise the
literature recommended in this section
12-
Case
study discussion: Egypt
Essential Readings
1. Mahmoud
Hussein, class conflict in Egypt: 1945-1970
2. Daron
A. And James A.R. Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and
Poverty. Pgs1-5
3. Mohmmed
G. Sayed said, “Egypt: The dialectics of state security and social decay”.
International politics and society 1/2000
Discussion Question
-
The current crisis in
Egypt between the military and society is a continuation of the trend in the
twentieth Century
13-
Case
study discussion: Rawlings’ Ghana and Mengestus Ethiopia
Essential Readings
As in week No. 10 and No. 11
Discussion Questions
-
Does alliances of
radical groups with military forge a solid alternatives to ruling – class?
-
Could this alliance
make the military an agent of revolution? Or in turn becomes an obstacle?
14-
Conclusion
I: Presentation of Seminar works and Response papers
15-
Conclusion
II: Theoretical conclusion; critical assessment by students; eating and
chatting
Joint Readings
1. Antonio
Gramsci, Selections from Prison Notebooks
2. Marcin
Carnoy, The state and Political Theory. Chapter 3
3. Eboe
Hutchful and Abdoulaye Bathily (eds) op. cit. various
4. Claude
Se-fati, “Militarism and Imperilism in the 21st Century
5. Sonni
Gwande Tyoden, “The military and prospects for Socialist Construction”
COURSE
REQUIREMENTS
Ø Evaluation
of students will be based on end of the semester examination (70%) and
Continuous Assessment (30%)
Ø The
last 30 minutes of each lecture period will be discussion, debate or any other
thing I may come up with.
Ø On
the CA students will be required to do so many things:
a) Weekly
assignment: this is as important as the final examination. Any student who
failed to do one will miss all the points earmarked for class work
b) A
group small research project
c) Research
project response paper
d) Working
group discussion would be held
e) A
supervised test
f) Students
are expected to fully participate in class discussions
g) Class
attendance is a compulsory requirement
Ø In
order to build competence and skills in work, you would be expected to improve
on usage of ICT for learning
Ø You
would also be programmed to cultivate expressions in poetic compositions. So,
poetry writing will be revived to capture self-expressions of the issues we are
going to treat on the course.
Ø The
relationship between students on the one hand and students with the teacher on
the other hand determine a successful programme for development of knowledge.
So, between you talk to each other. With your teacher, there is no fear. I am
your facilitator.
Ø All
other things on the requirement of class work in your 300 Level also applied
here:
a) For
example, plagiarism and any other academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.
b) Secondly,
active participation by asking questions, making observation and comments is
the best way of learning which each student must try to use.
c) Thirdly,
there are on my blogspot-Online,
many different materials showing how to improve quality of learning and
research. So you are required to access them.
Ø Finally,
my watch word in this academic year is as in 2010/2011 session i.e. education
is for self-transformation. So, watch yourself, what is changing in you. You
are going to tell us.
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