TY - JOUR
T1 - Political transition to democracy : the role of the security sector and regional economic communities in Zimbabwe and Cote d'ivoire's democratic puzzle
AU - HODZI, Obert
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - This paper argues that the crisis of electoral democracy in Zimbabwe and Cote d'Ivoire is a result of underlying structural and institutional deficiencies within national and regional multinational institutions. It assesses the extent to which they have been ‘enablers’ or ‘spoilers’ of electoral-based transitions to democracy. Yet it avoids generalisations of the security sector's involvement in political transitions. In terms of structure, the paper is divided into four sections. Section one will briefly discuss the theoretical perspectives of the election-democracy trajectory. It argues that although elections are a major variable for democracy, unless the ‘ecology of elections’ is conducive, elections may not be an instrument of transition to democracy. The second section analyses the militarisation of politics and the role of the security sector in aiding or stalling democratisation. Section three will assess the role of regional organisations such as the Southern African Development Community, Economic Community of West African States and the African Union in electoral-based political transitions in Africa. Lastly, the paper will discuss how the security sector and multinational African institutions can aid political transitions to democracy in troubled African countries.
AB - This paper argues that the crisis of electoral democracy in Zimbabwe and Cote d'Ivoire is a result of underlying structural and institutional deficiencies within national and regional multinational institutions. It assesses the extent to which they have been ‘enablers’ or ‘spoilers’ of electoral-based transitions to democracy. Yet it avoids generalisations of the security sector's involvement in political transitions. In terms of structure, the paper is divided into four sections. Section one will briefly discuss the theoretical perspectives of the election-democracy trajectory. It argues that although elections are a major variable for democracy, unless the ‘ecology of elections’ is conducive, elections may not be an instrument of transition to democracy. The second section analyses the militarisation of politics and the role of the security sector in aiding or stalling democratisation. Section three will assess the role of regional organisations such as the Southern African Development Community, Economic Community of West African States and the African Union in electoral-based political transitions in Africa. Lastly, the paper will discuss how the security sector and multinational African institutions can aid political transitions to democracy in troubled African countries.
KW - democratisation
KW - political transition
KW - security sector
KW - multinational institutions
KW - elections
KW - Zimbabwe
KW - Cote d'Ivoire
UR - http://commons.ln.edu.hk/sw_master/6613
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84907575648&doi=10.1080%2f10246029.2014.925483&partnerID=40&md5=4a2a305e0e8e47b24bc7748ddecbc1d5
U2 - 10.1080/10246029.2014.925483
DO - 10.1080/10246029.2014.925483
M3 - Journal Article (refereed)
SN - 1024-6029
VL - 23
SP - 295
EP - 306
JO - African Security Review
JF - African Security Review
IS - 3
ER -