The Varieties of Civilian Praetorianism: Evidence From Sudan's Coup Politics.

This study examines the varieties of civilian praetorianism—the ways civilians enable and support military coups—arguing that civilians’ proximity to the political establishment and their level of social capital shape their mode of involvement. Civilians close to political power tend to enable coups by initiating or plotting with military officers, while those with strong social capital consolidate coups by providing post-coup support and neutralizing opposition. Using qualitative evidence from three Sudanese coups (1958, 1969, 1989), the study illustrates these dynamics: Prime Minister Abdalla Khalil enabled the 1958 coup through elite networks; the Communist Party consolidated the 1969 coup via its social ties; and the National Islamic Front both enabled and consolidated the 1989 coup by leveraging political access and social influence. The findings highlight the importance of civilian agency and resources in coup politics and suggest further research on how different civilian roles affect post-coup trajectories.