Wednesday 29 April 2015

Military, Society and Politics



Introduction

As Hobsbawn (1973) rightly observed, “ever since the French Revolution all modern Governments have faced the problem of the relations between civilian governments and the military”.

This is derived from the experience of direct military intervention in politics in France when Napoleon Bonaparte took over power and established a military regime.

The significance of this history is that contrary to the dominant idea that military intervention in politics is a phenomenon of third world countries, it is also prevalent in developed countries.

However, in the Twenty-First Century, there are many forms of military intervention in politics. Whereas there is no direct military intervention, but there is widespread militarism and militarization which become perverse in human society.

Thus, the term military in the context of this course, in this academic year, refers to widespread use of force and violence in the relationship between civilians and military.

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 understand the reasons for widespread expansion of violence in the Twenty-First Century.
3-    To understand the effect of globalization on military affairs
4-    To understand the relation of military as a political actor with others in the society.

The course is divided into three parts of a single process of development of knowledge. The first deals with concepts and major theoretical perspectives. Second with relationship of military with diverse phenomena of civilians in the society. Third, are case studies.

TOPICS AND READING
(1) General Introduction: Overview of the course; topics and recommended reading; aid for learning and research; assessment of the teaching programme by students; socialization by students; other things; division of students into Seminars; discussion on a social science research method;

Essential Reading
1.     David Garson, Handbook of political science method
2.     James Petras, “The Divergence between Scientific Work and Political Action”.
3.     APA (2010). Publication Manual. Chapter 1 and 2

Revision Questions
i.                   Political science research is a social criticism. Why and how?
ii.                 Political science is multi-displinary and so it is resilient to the current crisis in social sciences
iii.              The unification of theory and practice strengthens the quality of scientific work. Discuss

(2) Clarification of basic concepts: Military; society; politics; Third World; Armed Forces; Civilians; Twenty-first Century;

Essential Reading
1.                 Charles C.M. et al, The postmodern Military: Armed Forces after the Cold war. Chapter 1
2.                 Jack Woddis, Armies and politics. Chapters 2 and 3
3.                 Others

Revision Questions
i.                   Military is a sociological concept depicting use of force and violence. As a political scientist operationalise the term to explain a political phenomenon.
ii.                 Military intervenes in politics not necessary for interest within it but also outside it.

(3)  State of the course: A critique of skeptics

Essential Reading
1-    Eboe Hutchful and Abdoulaye Bathily (eds) The Military and Militarism in Africa – Introduction and chapter one

Revision Exercise
i.                   Study chapter one mentioned above and classified the texts and the issues by modernization theory and Marxist school of Thought views on military in Politics. What theoretical name would you suggest for the remaining not with any theoretical label.


(4) Military-Society relations in the era of Neo-Liberl globalization

Essential Reading
1.     Martin Shaw, “The Development of Common Risk Society” in Jurgen K. and Jeen C. (eds). Military and Society in Twenty-First Century Europe
2.     Timothy E. et al, The Armed forces and society: A framework for analysis”. Journal of Armed Forces and Society       .
3.     Anthony Forster, Armed Forces and Society in Europe. Pg1-8

Revision Question
1.     Make a summary of 1 and 2 above by making pattern notes of each. Come up with observation for future relationship of military and society. Ask some question form each

(5) PMM and New Civil-Military Relations

Essential Reading
1-    Charles C.M. et al. op cit.
2-    Albright D. “A comparative conceptualization of Civil-Military relation” World Politics vol. 44 No. 3
3-    Samuel P. Huntington, “The soldier and the state: The theory and politics of Civil-Military Relations.
4-    Kohn R. “out of control: The crisis of Civil-Military Relation”. Journal of Public Management vol. 10 No. 2
5-    Christopher D. “The Military in Democratic Societies: New Times and new pattern of Civil-Military Relations” in Jurgen et al – op. cit

Revision Question
i.                   Read and make a summary (in pattern note form) of Samuel P.H. above. Make critical observation and ask some questions.
ii.                 Globalization not only integrated economic affairs but also military with civilians. How and why?
(6)  Military, globalization and politics

Essential Reading
1.     William I. Robinson, “Gramsci and Globalization: from Nation-state to Transnational Hegemony”
2.     A.F/ Klimenko, “Globalization and its impact on military politics and strategy”.
3.     Suzanne B. “Globalization and politics”.
4.     Jacques Harsh, “Understanding Global Capitalism: Passive Revolution and Double Movement in the era of globalization”

Revision Question
i.                   Compare 1-4 above. What is your conclusion of their different positions.

(7)  Reflections on Civilians versus military in Pre-modern and modern era

Essential Reading
1-    Hobsbawn E. Revolutionaries: Contemporary Essays. Chapters 18 and 19
2-    Karl Marx, class struggle in France Selected Works vol. 1
3-    Karl Marx, The Civil war in France Selected works vol. 2
4-    Karl Marx, The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. Selected Works vol. 1
5-    Paul Commacx et al, Third World Politics: A Comparative Introduction

Revision Question
i.                   What is Bonarpatism?

(8)  Globalization and expansion of Military Violence

Essential Reading
i.                   David Held, “The expanding reach of organized violence”. In David Held et al (eds). Global transformation: politics, economy and culture.
ii.                 John Feffe, “Militarization in the age of globalization”
iii.              Boggs Carl, “Globalization and neo-militarism
iv.              Karen Talbat, “Backing up Globalization with Military Might”.
v.                 Claude Serfat, “Militarism and imperialism in the 21st Century”

Revision Questions
i.                   Construct a theory from (i) above and another from No.2 capable of explaining any practical social phenomenon
ii.                 Globalization of capital and Militarism are two sides of the same coin. Discuss.

(9) Globalization, Security and Military

Essential Reading
1-    Mikkelv, R. “A parallel Globalization of Terror: Security and Globalization”. In cooperation and conflict. Vol.37 No.3
2-    Lewis G. “Globalization, Security and the Authoritarian state”.
3-    Col. J.T. “Unclenching the fisted land: Globalization and Military Multilateralism


Revision Questions
i.                   Read and make a summary of No.3 above. Make critical observation and raise some questions
ii.                 Globalization is insecurity. How and why?

(10)                    Post-modern warfare system

Essential Reading
1-    Paul T. M. Network Centric Warfare: Coalition Operations in the age of US Military primacy
2-    Phillip Hammond, post-modernity goes to war
3-    Major lice Wilson , The correlates of postmodern warfare
4-    Captain Paulo F. V. The Information warfare
5-    Gerald Schereide, “war in the era of globalization

Revision Question
i.                   Make a summary – in pattern note form of Gerald Scheneider. Make observation and ask questions.

(11)                    Globalization, Military and the Left: Old arguments; the problems and
new trend

Essential Reading
1-    Bjorn Beckman, “Military as Revolutionary Vanguard”. ROAPE No.27
2-    Dick Howard, “The Left Agenda After September 11 – An American View” 1 PS No4 (2002).

Revision Questions
i.                   The Military has no place in globalization era Left politics. Why?

(12)                    Case Study Discussion: Ghana; Egypt Venezuela and Indonesia

(13)                    Conclusion I: Presentation of Seminar works and Response papers

(14)                    Conclusion II: Theoretical Conclusion; critical assessment by
students; eating and chatting.

Additional Reading
1.     Engels, F. Anti-Duhring chapter II, III and IV (On The Force Theory)
2.     Engels, F. “The role of force in History”. In Selected Works vol. 3
3.     No name. “Ghana Revolutionary process: The ideological conflict
4.     Stefen Mair, “The New World of privatize Violence”. IPS vol. 2
5.     William Reno, Warlord politics and African states
6.     Chunakhra G.M. The militarization of politics and society
7.     Elizabeth Neuffer, “Democracy and Security”
8.     Wilfriel V.B. “Re-Nationalization of Military strategy? New challenges for the Armed Forces in a changing Global Environment”. In Jurgen K. and Jeen C. op. cit
9.     Robert cooper, The Breaking of Nations: Order and chaos in the 21st Century
10.                        Gwyn K. and Margo O. “Neo-Liberalism Militarism and Armed conflict
11.                        I. L. Harowitz. Three Worlds of Development: the theory and practice of international stratification. Chapter 12
12.                        Casta Tungaza, “The transformation of Civil-Military relations”. In Hutchful and Botchily
13.                        Michael E. “From Kadesh to Khandahar: Military theory and the future war”.
14.                        Jonotwitz Z. The professional Army
15.                        Finer S.E. A man on horseback
16.                        Piet konings, The state and the Defence Committees in the Ghanaian Revolution, 1981-1984

COURSE REQUIREMENT
-         Evaluation of students will be based on end of the semester examination (70%) and Continuous Assessment (30%).
-         The last 30 minutes of each lecture period will be for a review of any relevant text, discussion of a disputed idea, debate or any other thing I may come up with.
-         On the CA students will be required to do so many things:
(a)  Weekly assignment: this is as important as the final examination, it is uncompromising as any student who failed to do one will miss all the points earmarked for class work
(b) A seminar small research project
(c)  Small research project response paper
(d) Working group discussion would be organized during class hours
(e)  A supervised test – the type which test effective performance of student in learning
(f)   Class attendance is a compulsory requirement
-         In order to build competence and skills in work, you would be expected to improve on usage of ICT for learning. Make use of the recommendations of Mairo and Rosanna I circulated to you at the Level III.
-         You would also be programmed to cultivate expressions in poetic compositions. So, poetry writing will be revive to try self-expressions of the issues under treatment on the course.
-         The relationship between students on the One hand and students with the teacher on the other hand determine a successful teaching, learning, and research programme for development of knowledge. So, between you the students talk to each other. Then, with your teacher, there should be no fear. I am your facilitator. Fear and learning are incompatible.
-         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.
(d) Finally, my watch word in this academic year is, be critical, ruthless criticism of everything that exist as Karl Marx said. In knowledge there is no absolute truth. Make your contribution