African coups in the COVID-19 era: A current history
What explains the explosion of coup activity in Africa over the last few years? To answer this question, this article presents narrative summaries—a current history—of all eleven coups attempts in Africa between August 2020 and November 2022. We then discuss the most relevant causal explanations for...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Political Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2023.1077945/full |
| _version_ | 1797859727410987008 |
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| author | John J. Chin Jessica Kirkpatrick |
| author_facet | John J. Chin Jessica Kirkpatrick |
| author_sort | John J. Chin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | What explains the explosion of coup activity in Africa over the last few years? To answer this question, this article presents narrative summaries—a current history—of all eleven coups attempts in Africa between August 2020 and November 2022. We then discuss the most relevant causal explanations for the observed increase in coup frequency in Africa in this period. Though we find relatively little evidence of direct coup diffusion or democratic backsliding as coup triggers, our findings suggest that coup-struck African countries over the last few years are disproportionately poor, have a recent history of coups, and face ongoing dilemmas of democratic consolidation. Ongoing Islamist insurgencies may have helped precipitate recent coups in West Africa but not elsewhere. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T21:34:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fbd3a98778d846f6acc69baa34ec8012 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-3145 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T21:34:17Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Political Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-fbd3a98778d846f6acc69baa34ec80122023-03-27T06:01:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Political Science2673-31452023-03-01510.3389/fpos.2023.10779451077945African coups in the COVID-19 era: A current historyJohn J. ChinJessica KirkpatrickWhat explains the explosion of coup activity in Africa over the last few years? To answer this question, this article presents narrative summaries—a current history—of all eleven coups attempts in Africa between August 2020 and November 2022. We then discuss the most relevant causal explanations for the observed increase in coup frequency in Africa in this period. Though we find relatively little evidence of direct coup diffusion or democratic backsliding as coup triggers, our findings suggest that coup-struck African countries over the last few years are disproportionately poor, have a recent history of coups, and face ongoing dilemmas of democratic consolidation. Ongoing Islamist insurgencies may have helped precipitate recent coups in West Africa but not elsewhere.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2023.1077945/fullcoup d'étatcontagionAfricademocracycurrent history |
| spellingShingle | John J. Chin Jessica Kirkpatrick African coups in the COVID-19 era: A current history Frontiers in Political Science coup d'état contagion Africa democracy current history |
| title | African coups in the COVID-19 era: A current history |
| title_full | African coups in the COVID-19 era: A current history |
| title_fullStr | African coups in the COVID-19 era: A current history |
| title_full_unstemmed | African coups in the COVID-19 era: A current history |
| title_short | African coups in the COVID-19 era: A current history |
| title_sort | african coups in the covid 19 era a current history |
| topic | coup d'état contagion Africa democracy current history |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2023.1077945/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johnjchin africancoupsinthecovid19eraacurrenthistory AT jessicakirkpatrick africancoupsinthecovid19eraacurrenthistory |