Making US Security Cooperation Work: Organizational Capital in Aid Provision

This dissertation explores the effectiveness of US security cooperation in fragile states by focusing on the role of organizational capital in aid provision. It argues that traditional approaches that emphasize hardware transfers and basic skills training often fall short in building sustainable and effective security forces. Instead, this work posits that non-materiel aid aimed at developing social capital via Defense Institution Capacity Building (DICB) is most crucial for achieving long-term stability and effectiveness.
By employing a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative analysis with case studies of Ukraine and Mali, the dissertation demonstrates that whether security cooperation efforts succeed or fail can hinge on the degree to which they contribute to building professionalism in recipients. The findings reveal that, when successful, such investments lead to better civil-military relations, reduced corruption, and more responsible uses of force. Conversely, train & equip centric efforts can contribute to instability by inadvertently exacerbating underlying governance issues.