In the transition from war-torn societies to stable multiparty democracies, what
is the role of former rebel leaders? Can rebel movements effectively transform
themselves from military to political organizations? From Soldiers to
Politicians explores when and how militias succeed in reorienting their goals
and practices toward legitimate political activities, and how external actors
can support that practice.
The authors present eight theoretically grounded country studies, focusing in
each on the historical background of the rebel movement, its (attempted or
successful) transformation into a political party, and the factors explaining
success or failure. Bridging the academic-policy divide, they identify concrete
lessons from previous transformation processes, as well as options for