Culture and the Soldier: Identities, Values, and Norms in Military Engagements

H. Christian Breede

Published by University of British Columbia Press 2019

Culture and the Soldier

Identities, Values, and Norms in Military Engagements

H. Christian Breede

https://doi.org/10.59962/9780774860871

Overview
Contents

About this book

Culture and the Soldier offers a long-overdue examination of how culture – defined as reproduced identities, values, and norms – both shapes the military and can be wielded by it, informing the way armed forces operate around the world.

Countries have instituted polices to make their armed forces more inclusive, and soldiers now undergo cultural awareness training before they see active duty. Policy makers and military organizations agree that culture is important. But what does “culture” mean in practice, and how is it important? Drawing on case studies from Europe and North America, Culture and the Soldier answers these questions by examining how culture both shapes the military and can be wielded by it. Culture, as a force, has the power to influence how soldiers remember battle and how women are treated within the ranks. As a factor, it can be leveraged by militaries in a range of ways, from preventing cultural dislocation among soldiers in Afghanistan to mounting propaganda campaigns in support of totalitarian regimes. By bringing to light the ways in which culture is influencing military organizations and modern combat, this volume offers provocative insights into how culture can be deployed to improve armed forces at home and in military engagements abroad.

Author / Editor information

H. Christian Breede is an assistant professor of political science and associate chair of the Public Administration program at the Royal Military College of Canada.

Contributors: Stéphanie A.H. Bélanger, Andy Belyea, Vanessa Brown, Pierre Jolicoeur, Frédéric Labarre, Shaohan Lin, Iryna Lysychkina, James R. McKay, Alan Okros, Robert A. Rubinstein, Joel J. Sokolsky, Stéfanie von Hlatky, Corri Zoli.

Reviews

Bastian Giegerich, director of Defence and Military Analysis, International Institute for Strategic Studies:
Strategic and military culture shape how soldiers operate, but culture is also a tool militaries employ to gain advantage on the battlefield. This edited volume brings together a fascinating and insightful collection of essays, often presenting fresh empirical material on both themes.

Topics

Front Matter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	v
Figures and Tables Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Preface and Acknowledgments Publicly Available Download PDF	viii
Abbreviations Publicly Available Download PDF	x
Introduction: The Culture Puzzle H. Christian Breede Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Culture as a Force on the Military
Two (War) Solitudes: Anglophone and Francophone Shaping of War in Canada Stéphanie A.H. Bélanger Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	23
Dancing around Gender: Changing Identity in Canada’s Post-Deschamps Military Vanessa Brown and Alan Okros Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	32
Shaped by Loss: Culture and Casualties in Canada James R. McKay Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	57
Culture as a Factor in Military Operations
The Sources of Nonlinear Warfare: Media Manipulation and the Cultivation of Fear Pierre Jolicoeur and Frédéric Labarre Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	87
A Secure Impression: Using Image as a Strategic Communication Tool Iryna Lysychkina Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	104
Military Culture and Humanitarian Actions: short-Term Gains and Long-Term Losses Robert A. Rubinstein and Corri Zoli Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	125
Connected and Alone: Cultural Dislocation and Moral Injury of Canadian Soldiers in Afghanistan Andrew Belyea Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	144
Schoolhouses and COCOMs: Educating and Cultivating the American-Led International Fraternity of the Uniform Joel J. Sokolsky and Shaohan Lin Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	169
Taking It SLO: Leveraging Local Support during Military Engagements H. Christian Breede Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	196
Conclusion: Analytical Challenges Linked to Military Culture in Multinational Settings Stéfanie von Hlatky Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	216
Contributors Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	227
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	230

Language: English
Publisher: University of British Columbia Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly;
Pages
- Main content: 248
Illustrations
- Other: 14 charts, 9 tables

eBook

Published: October 1, 2019
ISBN: 9780774860871