Juste Codjo, Ph.D.

Dr. Juste Codjo is an Associate Professor of Security Studies at Kean University, where he also directs the Doctor of Science program in Civil Security Leadership, Management and Policy. He is a practitioner-scholar with over 20 years of military service in Benin (West Africa). A former chief of staff to the Head of the Benin Army with experience in United Nations peacekeeping, he brings operational insights into his academic research and teaching.  

Dr. Codjo’s scholarship spans peer-reviewed articles, monographs, and policy papers on issues related to African security and geopolitics, strategic studies, great power competition, U.S. security cooperation, institutional reforms, and democratic transitions in Africa. His research has been published in major academic journals, to include the African Studies Review, Foreign Policy Analysis, and European Journal of International Security. He has provided media commentary on African security and geopolitics to prominent international media outlets, including Voice of America, Deutsche Welle, Al Jazeera, TV5 Monde, Radio France International, and Le Point.

Dr. Codjo holds a Ph.D. in Security Studies from Kansas State University. While on active duty in Benin, he attended military education at several institutions beyond Africa, including the German Offizierschule des Heeres and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He previously taught security studies at New Jersey City University, the University of Kentucky, the American University, as well as political science at Kansas State University.

Drawing on political science research, Dr. Codjo has designed a model of consensual governance called "Consencracy." The model is aimed at improving governance and stability in Africa. He is also the Founder and President of Echelle-Benin, a non-profit organization advancing student empowerment in West Africa. Fluent in English, French, German, and several West African languages, Dr. Codjo bridges theory and practice to inform policy, protect communities, and shape innovative approaches to security in Africa and beyond.