The role of military pedagogy and civilian academia in the national security and governance of Peru

This chapter provides a historical analysis of civil-military relations through the perspective of military pedagogy and the civilian academe in Peru. It reveals how significant fluctuations in PME reform, from the 19th century to the present day, have been influenced by the different approaches, needs and concerns of successive military and civilian governments regarding the role of the armed forces and the importance of educating military officers at the strategic level. This includes an examination of the evolution of the Peruvian military educational system and the conflicts that have shaped this dynamic. As the chapter highlights, although this scenario has resulted in some integration of the civilian academe in military pedagogy in recent history, it has also demonstrated a lack of cohesion between military and civilian academic communities. In line with Peru's historical contexts and the increasing instability of its political sphere, resulting from the large-scale corruption scandals, the chapter argues that this scenario demonstrates the strategic importance of creating suitable academic spaces for the joint training of civil and military professionals in security, development and defence.