Coups d'etat in Twenty-First Century Africa

Providing a comprehensive analysis of coups, this open access book explores why coups in post-independence Africa persist despite decades of progress towards democratization and stability.

Arguing that there is a decline of democratic institutions and the rule of law in many African countries have created a ripple effect, derailing peace, security, and sustainable development, this book examines the links between military regimes, weak democracies, and the co-influence of global powers as related to coups d'etat in Africa. The editors and their contributors explore the dynamics that drive these coups d'etat, challenging popular orthodox theories about politics and democracy in Africa, providing new insights into the roles of both internal and external actors.

By analyzing past coups d'etat trends, this book contends that the persistent impacts of colonialism continue to alter political power structures in Africa, creating fertile ground for military takeovers. Concluding that many modern-day military operations are motivated by a desire to "unplug" Western-backed governments, who are viewed as puppets of foreign powers.

Through this comprehensive analysis, the editors cover historical and structural roots of coups d'etat, and their regional and international responses, socio-economic impacts, media and information dynamics, and preventative measures.

The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the Bloomsbury Open Collections Library Collective.

Pilisano Harris Masake is Associate Professor of Law at Namibia University of Science and Technology, Namibia.

Kennedy Kaumba Mabuku is Lecturer at the Namibia University of Science and Technology, Namibia and supervises policing students at Stadio Higher Education.

Torque Mude is Senior Lecturer of Public Management and Political Science at the University of Namibia, Namibia.