Civil-Military Relations

What’s New in Civil-Military Relations

 

Research

Our latest research has gone in two directions:

  • Surveys that assess public opinion, including survey experiments that have tested whether scandals about discrimination impact public attitudes towards the Canadian Armed Forces.

  • A workshop aimed at producing an edited volume examining the crises in Canadian civil-military relations: whether the military has had too much autonomy, whether it has abused that responsibility, and whether and why the civilians (including figuring out which civilians) have underplayed their role.

News

Workshopping Canadian Civil-Military Relations. June 13-14 2024

Research suggests that narratives of discrimination within militaries can significantly influence public perceptions, trust, and material support for armed forces. Using Canada as a case study, we employ a survey experiment to gauge the effects of exposing respondents to narratives of discrimination against historically marginalized groups within the military, including First Nations, Métis, Inuit, Francophones, LGBTQ2S+, people of colour, and women. We examine how these narratives shape public trust in the military, support for defence spending, and perceptions of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) as an employer of choice. Our webinar delves into the findings, assessing the public’s responsiveness to these issues and their consequential impact on trust and material support for the Canadian military. Additionally, we discuss the implications for maintaining the trust necessary for the survival of militaries and propose strategies for fostering greater inclusivity and ethical conduct within armed forces.

Description

As political dynamics of civil-military relations determine decisions on procurement, personnel and operations, as well as how security is defined, this cross-cutting theme will study how evolving civil-military relations among parties, the government, the media, and the public, shape the development and implementation of defense policy. The Canadian government divides responsibility for defence procurement between DND/CAF, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Innovation, Science and Economic Development for, respectively, elaborating the military’s requirements, administering the procurement process and contract award, and ensuring that Canadian industry benefits. The challenge is how to manage all of these agents who have their own priorities, perspectives, processes and biases.

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Dr. Jean-Christophe Boucher

Assistant Professor at the School of Public Policy and at the department of political science at the University of Calgary

Dr. Philippe Lagassé

Associate Professor of International Affairs
William and Jeanie Barton Chair in International Affairs

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Co-Directors

Recent Publications

 
 
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