Former mid-level commanders in Big Man networks

Commanding abuse or abusing command? Ex-command structures and drugs in Liberia

“…These two categories of individuals become ex-combatants and ex-commanders when they have either been discharged from or voluntarily left the military faction they were serving in. 40 Unless otherwise indicated, the empirical material is based on the interviews with ex-commanders and fighters. I only refer to specific interviews when I use direct quotes.…”

Beyond Reintegration: War Veteranship in Mozambique and El Salvador

“…In contrast, many recent studies indicate that former military networks tend to transform and endure, and undertake collective efforts, for example in party politics and electoral campaigning (Christensen and Utas, 2008;McGregor, 2002) or governance and public office (Martin, 2018;Rutten, 2001;Sprenkels, 2018). Former combatant networks have spawned political entrepreneurs (Deonandan et al, 2007;de Zeeuw, 2008), peace activists (Dietrich Ortega, 2015), disciplined work forces (Hoffman, 2011), trafficking networks (Persson, 2012), private security operations (Christensen, 2017;Diphoorn, 2016), and also violent action and renewed warfare (Cívico, 2015;Themnér, 2012;Zyck, 2009). Together, these studies demonstrate how wartime networks are able to reconvert into a variety of post-war institutions and collective endeavours.…”

“…While acknowledging social and political variation, this article argues that social networks based in a shared war experience have (potentially) a set of specific traits and play a particular role in the construction of war veteranship. Such traits include the continuation or reshaping of military hierarchies, including the broker roles that former mid-level cadres often play (see also Themnér, 2012) and particular in-group dynamics, such as war reputation (see also Di Lellio and Schwandner-Sievers, 2006). A focus on such networks also looks beyond military dynamics, and includes processes of identity construction and belonging, such as relationships of friendship, loyalty and solidarity, as well as dependency, coercion and conflict.…”

‘Once a combatant, always a combatant’? Revisiting assumptions about Liberian former combatant networks

“…These kinds of small tactical-level units with personal trust-based relationships are in military sociology called primary groups, where bonding between soldiers explains why they continue to fight even when the odds have turned against them (Shils & Janowitz 1948). In a similar manner, even the members of former combatant networks are perceived to have developed ‘military comradeship that often survives demobilization’ (Themnér 2012: 210), especially after having ‘fought side by side during war’ (Themnér & Karlén 2020: 5).…”

“…More specifically in Liberia, it has been argued that ‘chains of command and rebel structures of war, which officially have been demobilized … are maintained and mobilized’ (Persson 2012: 102; see also Bjarnesen 2020: 2; Themnér & Karlén 2020: 1). With former commanders constituting ‘hubs in lingering command structures’ (Themnér 2015: 341–2), they continue to control their former subordinates (Themnér 2012; Utas et al 2014). Such understandings can also be found in policy documents.…”