Security sector reform (SSR), as it is applied in war-to-peace transitions and broader state building projects, is undergoing a period of change. Over a decade of case study analysis—particularly in conflict-affected environments—has revealed challenges in applying the SSR model outlined in formative documents like the OECD DAC Handbook on Security System Reform. Many of the principal tenets of the SSR model, like its holistic character, focus on governance, and human security orientation have proven difficult to translate into practice.
As a result, there is a renewed interest in SSR programming that is more flexible, sensitive to power dynamics, adaptive, and inclusive of a wide range of actors. The Centre for Security Governance (CSG) has completed several major research projects in this area, including Exploring the Transition from First to Second Generation SSR in Conflict Affected Societies, and Non-State Security Providers and Political Formation in Conflict-Affected Societies. To continue to pursue these ideas in partnership with key research centers in Africa, the CSG has organized this special collection to disseminate innovative research and promote new policy ideas, with a focus on those generated by African researchers and institutions.
Articles
Below is an overview of the available articles so far. More will be added, so check back to see updates.
- Prospects for Accessing Justice for Sexual Violence in Liberia’s Hybrid System - Freida M'Cormack
- The Conundrum of DDR Coordination: The Case of South Sudan - Guy Lamb, Theo Stainer
- Hybrid Security Governance Responses to Crises: The Case of the Ebola Response in Sierra Leone - Osman Gbla
- Democratically Transformed or Business as Usual: The Sierra Leone Police and Democratic Policing in Sierra Leone - Ibrahim Bangura
- The Need for Progress in an Era of Transformation: South African Professional Military Education and Military Effectiveness - Abel Esterhuyse, Benjamin Mokoena
This special collection was made possible through partnership with the African Security Sector Network (ASSN) and through a grant awarded to the Centre for Security Governance under the Knowledge Management Fund.
Photo credit: Daily life of soldiers in Mali - Fred Marie
