Previous studies have attested to leaders “coup-proofing” their regimes by reducing the
ability or disposition of their armies to seek their removal. The following article tests the utility …

Once considered a 'hot topic'among scholars, research on coups d'état has waned in recent
years. This decline is surprising given that 7 coups have happened between January 2008 …

Although coups remain a pressing concern for rulers across the globe, the mechanisms
through which common coup-prevention strategies operate have not been well theorized or …

Elites face a daunting coordination problem when contemplating a coup. Citizens, who
desire political reform, face a similar coordination problem when contemplating protest …

This paper considers how coups impact democratization. Current research focuses on
coups as a threat to consolidated and fledgling democracies. Policymakers have adapted to …

How does aid in the form of training influence foreign militaries' relationship to domestic
politics? The United States has trained tens of thousands of officers in foreign militaries with …

Under what conditions do political leaders enact 'coup-proofing'strategies? There is a broad
consensus in the literature that political leaders who face a higher risk of a coup will employ …

Why do dictators sometimes prefer incompetent subordinates? I explore this question using
a formal model. In each period of a dynamic game, a subordinate chooses his level of …

This article revisits the oft-cited relationship between economic shocks and coups.
According to conventional wisdom, economic recessions trigger coups. However, existing …

This article considers how domestic protests influence coups. Protests signal regime
illegitimacy, which incentivizes coups and provides a favorable climate for postcoup reforms …