Renaissance of Democratic Control of Armed Forces in Contemporary Societies

by Hans Born (Editor)

The democratic oversight of the security sector has become a topic of great importance in contemporary societies, both in consolidated societies as well as societies in transition to democracy. Models for democratic oversight of the security sector are of special relevance for states in transition to democracy, that is models which are adequate and whose validity has been proved. This book provides an outlook on the renaissance currently underway on the relevance accorded to the democratic control of armed forces. Various chapters show that establishing democratic oversight is a difficult and long process. Drafting a new constitution and defence laws, which define the roles of the various state institutions, is not enough. Creating a qualified and critical mass of civilian experts, independent qualified media, as well as equipped parliaments with sufficient expertise are all long processes which require expertise, time and ressources.

169 pages, Paperback

First published April 29, 2004

About the author

Hans Born is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), Geneva, Switzerland, where he heads the DCAF's research working groups on Parliamentary Accountability of the Security Sector and Legal Aspects of Security Sector Governance. He co-authored Security Sector Reform in Transitional Societies (2002), Parliamentary Oversight of the Security Sector: Principles, Mechanisms and Practices (2003) and The "Double Democratic Deficit": Parliamentary Accountability and the Use of Force under International Auspices (2004).