Military mutinies

Whereas colonial era and early independence mutinies in Africa have been a focus of scholars, it has been only over the last decade that mutinies as a recurring and ongoing contemporary phenomenon have received significant academic attention. Growing scholarly and policy attention on mutinies has helped identify patterns of these types of revolts and has challenged some of the preexisting conceptions of mutinies. For example, mutinies in Africa extend outside combat areas and are regularly closely linked to wider historical and political dynamics. Mutiny scholarship has not only helped provide a deeper understanding of military revolt but also given new insights into views and expectations of rank-and-file soldiers in Africa. The viewpoints and experiences of this sector of the armed forces are important, especially given that these individuals are the frontlines of state security, including humanitarian crises, and increasingly international security responses.