Civil-Military Relations and National Security Governance in Africa A Systems Thinking Approach

Abstract

This article reconceptualizes civil-military relations in Africa through a systems-thinking framework to explain patterns of instability, intervention, and reform in security-sector governance. While classical theories illuminate professionalism and civilian control, they insufficiently capture the hybrid institutions, informal authority networks, and political economy dynamics shaping many postcolonial African countries, where formal structures intersect with patronage systems and elite bargaining. Drawing on systems concepts such as interdependence, feedback loops, and equifinality, the article presents civil-military relations in Africa as a complex adaptive system in which outcomes emerge from interactions across the political, economic, and societal spheres. Thus, coups and reforms are understood as products of systemic pressures rather than isolated events. Reinforcing feedback dynamics can entrench military dominance, whereas balancing mechanisms, such as institutional oversight and civic engagement, can strengthen democratic governance. The framework offers a dynamic approach to analyzing recurring instability and pathways toward accountable security governance.