Democratic institutions in the post-Cold War era have come to be seen as the only legitimate forms of governance. But the longstanding legacy and frequent incidence of military rule over the past half century continue to threaten newly instituted democratic regimes. The disintegration of order and government in many societies in recent years, under the pressures of violent conflict and internal war, poses even more intractable obstacles to the institutionalization of stable democracy. The contributors to this volume explore the challenges of establishing democratic accountability and control over the military and other security establishments, including non-state armed formations, in countries which have either been the victims of authoritarian military rule or wracked by violent internal conflict. They examine both successful democratic transitions and failed ones in a wide range of countries, and the possible role of regional interventions and institutions.