The interdisciplinarity of military studies : a sociological perspective and South African application

Abstract

The study of the military by social scientists became increasingly interdisciplinary after WWII. The relationship of the military to society and the uniqueness thereof derived from its roles, functions and structure are debated from different perspectives. Institutional changes occurred over time and one of the first attempts of theorizing these changes has been by Charles Moskos (2000:15) who categorized changing trends into three historical periods, the “Modern”, the “Late modern” and the “Post-Modern” periods. This sociological theoretical model is an ideal-typical development construct of transformation and civil-military relations. A list of variables in each period depicts armed force characteristics 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 SANDF and society is explained by referring to civil control of the military, human security and humanitarian peacekeeping.