Culture and the Soldier
Identities, Values, and Norms in Military Engagements
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.
Description
Countries have instituted policies to make their armed forces more inclusive, and soldiers now undergo cultural awareness training before seeing active duty. Policy makers and military organizations agree that culture is important. But what does “culture” mean in practice, and how is it important? Culture and the Soldier answers these questions by examining how culture both shapes the military and can be wielded by it, to good or ill effect. Through case studies from Europe and North America, this volume offers provocative insights into how culture can be deployed to improve armed forces at home and in military engagements abroad.