Participation and Change in Gendered Organisations. Women in the Military Forces

Abstract

The role of women in the military has a long history. The topic is considered here by means of scientific tools, offered by empirical sociological research. Research on the subject is so far rather abundant, and it is feasible here to organize the discussion about the long road toward integration of women within armed forces in a certain number of themes, articulated under the form of answers to specific questions: (a)What are the reasons inducing armed forces to open their doors to women’(b)In which ways do women enter and remain in the military professional career?(c)Which orientations do women show toward military profession and military organisation?(d)Which problems arise within armed forces as a gendered organisation? The dark side of the moon: sexual harassment; questioning the “brotherhood of male soldiers”: do women endanger unit cohesion?(e)Which opportunities are available for women from the very nature of Crises Response Operations and the wide range of missions encompassing the notion of Asymmetric Conflicts?