Civil-military relations concerns the interaction of the military and the state or, more broadly, between armed forces and society. The relationship between civil authority and the military has evolved along with the nature of states, societies, war, and the military profession, but the basic dilemma remains the same: ensuring protection by and from the armed forces. Modern polities are governed by states, which possess a monopoly over the legitimate use of force within a defined territory to enforce its edicts on the population. The armed forces embody that monopoly and serve three primary purposes: external defense, internal security, and promotion of patriotism through indoctrination and provision of public goods. This five day course seeks to develop this argument, exploring the social, political, historical, cultural, and strategic influences that have determined the ways and degrees to which societies have used institutions to tame violence and achieve internal and external security. As such, it is interdisciplinary in scope and method. We invite PhD students from a variety of fields of research¿including strategic studies, sociology, political science, military history, anthropology, public administration, and development studies¿to submit a statement of their interest in the topic of civil-military relations and the development of state institutions that will form the basis of their paper for the course. The paper will be due one week prior to the commencement of the course so that all participants can read and comment on it. Length may not exceed 10.000 words including references and notes