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This course covers the development of the modern military and its role in politics and society in a wide range of countries, including European, Asian, American, and Pacific nations. It also examines the authoritarian nature of military regimes and the ways they may collapse or be overthrown by democratic uprisings. The final section of the course is devoted to contemporary issues in civil-military relations, including the possible emergence of a new kind of post-modern military, whether soldiers trained for battle are effective as peace-keepers, with a focus on New Zealand peace-keeping, and the return of mercenary forces.
The soldier today faces a new and complex environment. A warrior, a peace-keeper, a mediator, a politician, a human rights activist, a propagandist, sometimes all at the same time, she has to make instantaneous decisions not just on whether to attack or retreat, but on whether to offer aid or protection, on whether to treat a bystander as an innocent or an enemy. And she makes these complex decisions within the context of a military built on tradition, discipline and following orders. How do soldiers and militaries today resolve these conflicts between tradition and modernity? Do the new missions of soldiers make them more difficult to control? Should we expect more coups as we have seen in Fiji, Thailand and other places? More resistance to orders from politicians as we have seen in the US, and, according to Nicky Hager, in New Zealand? We will explore these questions through an examination of the origins of modern and post-modern militaries, and their relations with civilians in the field and in the capital city. Along the way, we will discuss soldiers and coups, soldiers and democracy, soldiers and peace-keeping, soldiers and the “war on terror” and the future of the military in an increasingly globalised world.
Students enrolled in this course will learn key paradigms employed in the study of civil-military relations. They will learn some concepts used in studying the political role of the military, with a particular focus on the way the military may take power, the way it then governs, and they ways it may leave power. The course also covers the impact of new roles and missions on the contemporary military. Attention is paid to differences in the cultural nature of knowledge and norms in models of civil military relations, and to the interaction between military and civilian "cultures". Readings and assignments are designed to encourage students to think carefully about civil-military relations. At the conclusion of the course, students should be conversant with all the major debates in the literature on civil-military relations, and prepared to embark on original work in this area.
30 points in POLS at 200 level. Students without 15 points at 200 level in POLS but with at least a B average in 75 points in appropriate courses may be admitted with the approval of the Head of Department and/or Programme Coordinator. (01 Jan 2016 - present)
ILAP656, ILAP688
James Ockey
Research Papers should be submitted through Learn, with a hard copy placed in the box outside the Political Science Office, 501 Locke Building.
Text As we will be focusing on the original work on civil-military relations that shaped the field as we know it today, there is no text book for this course. Readings can be accessed through Learn. LearnPlease make sure you have access to Learn, as we will make use of it for notes and readings. In addition to the course pages, you should have access to the Political Science Resources Site on Learn.
Library portalLearn Referencing for Political Science Using EndNote for referencing Writing guides for Political Science
Domestic fee $1,464.00
International fee $5,950.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .