The Interdisciplinarity of Military Studies

A Sociological Perspective and South African Application

Bibliographic Data

ID22336065
AuthorsRialize Ferreira (University of South Africa, corresponding author)
Year2012
Volume43
Issue3
Pages146-162
Publication date2012-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociety in Transition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1028-9852 • E-ISSN: 2072-1978
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/21528586.2012.727560
OpenAlexW2027619141
LanguageEN
References cited14

The study of the military by social scientists became increasingly interdisciplinary after WWII. The interrelationship between the military and society and the uniqueness thereof, derived from its roles, functions and structures, were debated from different perspectives. Institutional changes occurred over time and one of the first attempts at theorising these changes has been by sociologist Charles Moskos (2000: 15) who categorised changing trends into three historical periods, the modern, the late-modern and the postmodern. This sociological typology or model is an ideal-typical development construct of transformation and civil–military relations. A list of force variables in each period depicts armed force characteristics as changing to adapt to trends in civil–military relations, which can be applied to explain relevant military issues and changes in the South African National Defence Force since the 1990s. The relationship between the postmodern SANDF and society is explained by referring to democratic civil control of the military, human security and humanitarian peacekeeping. Keywords: Charles Moskoscivil–military relationsmilitary studiesSouth African National Defence Forcesociological typology

Epistemology · Sociological imagination · Sociology · Anthropology · Computer Science · Military History and Strategy · Military, Security, and Education Studies · Peacebuilding and International Security · Philosophy · Artificial Intelligence