Hakkı Taş
Recent data indicates that countries led by more populist leaders are less likely to have a military with veto power. Hakkı Taş explores the populist centralisation of power that fosters control over the military, and the impact on civilian oversight Read more
Collins Molua Ikome
Collins Molua and Gift Mwonzora argue that the decision by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso to leave the Economic Community of West African States was a rash one, which may risk legitimising further coups. What's more, deteriorating diplomatic relations between these countries and the West could have knock-on effects for regional peace and security Read more
Reuben Twinomujuni
Why has West Africa experienced so many military coups over the past couple of years? Reuben Twinomujuni and Hannah Muzee say the inadequacies of the African Union are only part of the problem. They argue that the phenomenon is also to the result of internal and external forces that impede united African action Read more
Jonathan Powell
Observers were quick to call the events on 8 January in Brazil a coup attempt. But Jonathan Powell and Salah Ben Hammou caution against conflating coup advocacy with coup attempts. Authoritarianism scholars should also note that usage of the term 'coup' has historically varied Read more
Hager Ali
A military coup on 25 October put an abrupt end to Sudan’s fragile democratic transition. Hager Ali argues that although the coup pre-empted a foreseeable power-transfer, the military also created a much bigger problem for itself. The same socio-political conditions that kept al-Bashir in power for decades now threaten the military’s capacity to govern Read more
Mădălin-Cătălin Blidaru
The regional dimension of international relations is more significant today than ever before, argues Mădălin-Cătălin Blidaru. In the current crisis, regional cooperation and institutionalised regional organisations are delivering important solutions. The network of external relations being developed by regional organisations takes us beyond a state-centred world Read more
Hager Ali
Only a few months remain before elections in Libya. But Western policymakers are focusing on election preparations and the withdrawal of foreign mercenaries, to the neglect of other pressing matters. Hager Ali argues that unless Libya tackles its political and military problems, elections may prove little more than a sticking plaster on a bullet wound Read more
Jun Koga Sudduth
Does the creation of nominally democratic institutions help dictators stay in power by reducing the risk of coups d’etat? Jun Koga Sudduth analyses and categorises different types of coup, and their effects. In so doing, she confounds the conventional wisdom that democratic institutions reduce the likelihood of dictators being overthrown Read more
The Loop
Cutting-edge analysis showcasing the work of the political science discipline at its best.
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