This article introduces the Rhombus Diamond Framework, a contextually grounded model for managing civil-military relations in democratic Malawi. Developed through a mixed-methods study comprising 386 structured survey responses and 65 key informant interviews, the framework synthesizes insights from elected officials, civil authorities, the judiciary, the military, and civilians. It positions the military as a fulcrum balancing democratic governance and national security, addressing the civil-military problematique through eight interlocking mechanisms—meritocracy, joint training, representational recruitment, and civic engagement among them. Quantitative regression analysis and qualitative content coding validate the framework’s predictive strength and institutional relevance. The model builds on classical theories of civilian control and concordance, while integrating indigenous values and participatory governance. It offers actionable guidance for policy formulation, curriculum development, and institutional reform, and presents a replicable approach for democratic consolidation in transitional states. The framework contributes to reimagining civil-military relations as a dynamic equilibrium rooted in legitimacy and professionalism.
| Published in | Social Sciences (Volume 14, Issue 6) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.ss.20251406.11 |
| Page(s) | 579-584 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Civil-Military Relations, Democratic Governance, Rhombus Diamond Framework, Military Professionalism, Transitional Democracies
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| [3] | Chazema, T. A., Tembo, M., Mphande, C., Kerr, R., Nundwe, V., & Kumwenda, D. (2024). Balancing civil-military relations for democratic development in Malawi: The Rhombus Diamond Framework. In Recent Research Advances in Arts and Social Studies (Vol. 4, pp. 129-147). Book Publisher International. |
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APA Style
Chazema, T. A., Tembo, M., Mphande, C., Kerr, R. M., Kumwenda, D. (2025). Reframing Civil-Military Relations in Africa: Empirical Insights from Malawi’s Rhombus Diamond Model. Social Sciences, 14(6), 579-584. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20251406.11
ACS Style
Chazema, T. A.; Tembo, M.; Mphande, C.; Kerr, R. M.; Kumwenda, D. Reframing Civil-Military Relations in Africa: Empirical Insights from Malawi’s Rhombus Diamond Model. Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(6), 579-584. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20251406.11
AMA Style
Chazema TA, Tembo M, Mphande C, Kerr RM, Kumwenda D. Reframing Civil-Military Relations in Africa: Empirical Insights from Malawi’s Rhombus Diamond Model. Soc Sci. 2025;14(6):579-584. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20251406.11
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author = {Thokozani Andrew Chazema and Mavuto Tembo and Chrispin Mphande and Robert McNab Kerr and David Kumwenda},
title = {Reframing Civil-Military Relations in Africa: Empirical Insights from Malawi’s Rhombus Diamond Model},
journal = {Social Sciences},
volume = {14},
number = {6},
pages = {579-584},
doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20251406.11},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20251406.11},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20251406.11},
abstract = {This article introduces the Rhombus Diamond Framework, a contextually grounded model for managing civil-military relations in democratic Malawi. Developed through a mixed-methods study comprising 386 structured survey responses and 65 key informant interviews, the framework synthesizes insights from elected officials, civil authorities, the judiciary, the military, and civilians. It positions the military as a fulcrum balancing democratic governance and national security, addressing the civil-military problematique through eight interlocking mechanisms—meritocracy, joint training, representational recruitment, and civic engagement among them. Quantitative regression analysis and qualitative content coding validate the framework’s predictive strength and institutional relevance. The model builds on classical theories of civilian control and concordance, while integrating indigenous values and participatory governance. It offers actionable guidance for policy formulation, curriculum development, and institutional reform, and presents a replicable approach for democratic consolidation in transitional states. The framework contributes to reimagining civil-military relations as a dynamic equilibrium rooted in legitimacy and professionalism.},
year = {2025}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Reframing Civil-Military Relations in Africa: Empirical Insights from Malawi’s Rhombus Diamond Model AU - Thokozani Andrew Chazema AU - Mavuto Tembo AU - Chrispin Mphande AU - Robert McNab Kerr AU - David Kumwenda Y1 - 2025/12/09 PY - 2025 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20251406.11 DO - 10.11648/j.ss.20251406.11 T2 - Social Sciences JF - Social Sciences JO - Social Sciences SP - 579 EP - 584 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2326-988X UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20251406.11 AB - This article introduces the Rhombus Diamond Framework, a contextually grounded model for managing civil-military relations in democratic Malawi. Developed through a mixed-methods study comprising 386 structured survey responses and 65 key informant interviews, the framework synthesizes insights from elected officials, civil authorities, the judiciary, the military, and civilians. It positions the military as a fulcrum balancing democratic governance and national security, addressing the civil-military problematique through eight interlocking mechanisms—meritocracy, joint training, representational recruitment, and civic engagement among them. Quantitative regression analysis and qualitative content coding validate the framework’s predictive strength and institutional relevance. The model builds on classical theories of civilian control and concordance, while integrating indigenous values and participatory governance. It offers actionable guidance for policy formulation, curriculum development, and institutional reform, and presents a replicable approach for democratic consolidation in transitional states. The framework contributes to reimagining civil-military relations as a dynamic equilibrium rooted in legitimacy and professionalism. VL - 14 IS - 6 ER -
Mzuzu University, Mzuzu, Malawi;College of International Security Affairs, National Defence University, Washington, D.C., USA
Mzuzu University, Mzuzu, Malawi
Mzuzu University, Mzuzu, Malawi
US Naval War College, Centre for Naval Warfare Studies, Rhode Island, USA
Mzuzu University, Mzuzu, Malawi
