This thesis represents an attempt to investigate whether differences in military capability between African states influences interstate conflict behavior. Although all African states attaining independence prior to January 1, 1965 were included in the study for the entire four year period (1964-1967), geographic limitations on potential conflict interaction restricted the dyad observations to those existing between contiguous states. Military capability as used here was represented by two indicators; armed forces personnel in thousands of men and military expenditures in millions of U.S. dollars. Interstate conflict behavior on the other hand consisted of four composite measures: diplomatic hostility, negative behavior, unofficial interstate conflict and official military conflict. For the purpose of testing the relationship as hypothesized, the former constituted the independent variables while the latter functioned as the dependent ones. Cross-sectional analysis of these six variables over the four year period revealed only a slight relationship between the dependent and independent sets of variables. Time series analysis confirmed that the relationship was at the most marginal and indicated that its tenuous existence came under conditions of reversed causality as opposed to the causal direction hypothesized. Notwithstanding these rather negative results there were nevertheless some interesting findings which appear to be relevant for future research. Interstate conflict is a diminishing feature of intra-African relations and that conflict behavior which persists tends to take the form of covert as opposed to overt hostility. African states seem to prefer particular techniques for expressing this hostility and tend to escalate within the confines instead of across dimensions of conflict behavior. This would indicate a need for research on the causes of these phenomena and, in particular, emphasis on conflict resolution analyses. / Arts, Faculty of / Political Science, Department of / Graduate

Thesis (LLM. (Development and Management Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / This mini-dissertation looks into the relationship between the different spheres or organs of the state, which is elaborately provided for in Chapter 3 of the Constitution. In particular, this mini-dissertation scrutinizes the propriety of the relationship between provincial and local government, using case law to analyze and examine conflicts within the organs of government. The critical question that is posed is whether the mechanisms provided for in the Constitution and legislation are working appropriately to foster cooperation between the spheres of government or whether they are inadequate to address these challenges. An argument that this mini-dissertation raises is that, in spite of the laws that have been put in place to resolve conflict within the state organs, the mechanisms provided for are inadequate and need to be strengthened if there is going to be proper and better cooperation between the spheres of government. The gap is more glaring in cases involving intervention by provincial governments into the functional terrain of local government. It has been observed that there is lack of willpower from the different role players to ensure the improvement of intergovernmental relations and cooperation as espoused by the Constitution. A comparative analysis was done, hence the mini-dissertation utilises the jurisprudence of the United Kingdom and Canada and draws useful lessons for South Africa. This paper therefore concludes that there is a need for legislative reform that will compel organs of government to avoid costly litigation against one another. It is recommended, also, that there should be effective inter-sphere communication so as to make plain the expectations of one sphere over another.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Mississippi State University. Department of Political Science and Public Administration. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.