Event: Soldiers In Revolt: Army Mutinies in Africa

Event recording from 16/10/2017 Dr Maggie Dwyer discusses her research and forthcoming book 'Soldiers in Revolt'. The book examines the understudied phenomenon of military mutinies in Africa. Through interviews with former mutineers in Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, and The Gambia, it provides a unique and intimate perspective on those who take the risky decision to revolt. This view from the lower ranks is key to comprehending the internal struggles that can threaten a military’s ability to function effectively. Maggie Dwyer’s detailed accounts of specific revolts are complemented by an original dataset of West African mutinies covering more than fifty years, allowing for the identification of trends. Her book shows the complex ways mutineers often formulate and interpret their grievances against a backdrop of domestic and global politics. Just as mutineers have been influenced by the political landscape, so too have they shaped it. Mutinies have challenged political and military leaders, spurred social unrest, led to civilian casualties, threatened peacekeeping efforts and, in extreme cases, resulted in international interventions. Soldiers in Revolt offers a better understanding of West African mutinies and mutinies in general, valuable not only for military studies but for anyone interested in the complex dynamics of African states. Speaker Profile Dr Maggie Dwyer is a Research Fellow at the Centre of African Studies at University of Edinburgh. She is currently the lead researcher for two projects: ‘Social Media and Security in Africa’ (ESRC/DFID funded) and ‘Modern Soldiering in Africa’ (Gerda Henkel Foundation funded). Her monograph, Soldiers in Revolt: Army Mutinies in Africa, is available in fall 2017 with Hurst Publishers. This talk was part of the CSD Research Group Monday seminar series and was hosted by the Africa Research Group. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2zfxyDo.