The anthropology of militaries in industrial countries is a relatively young discipline, which ha... more The anthropology of militaries in industrial countries is a relatively young discipline, which has seen significant growth since the end of the Cold War and the advent of the “new wars.” The chapter focuses on the anthropological analysis of social and cultural concerns related to (and derived from) the armed forces, war, and the provision for national security. It charts the main clusters of issues anthropologists are engaged with and explains the unique contribution of this discipline through the following themes: militarization, fieldwork, military organization and units, gender, military families, veterans, and medical anthropology. This chapter concludes with a discussion of anthropology’s contribution to military education.
Journal of Political & Military Sociology, Apr 25, 2022
Every country possessing an armed force has a military covenant: a set of shared, often implicit,... more Every country possessing an armed force has a military covenant: a set of shared, often implicit, expectations between the military and society. Derived from the social contract, the military covenant focuses on the willingness of soldiers to make sacrifices and forgo certain rights enjoyed by civilians in return for recognition of their important social role, fair treatment of them, and commensurate terms and conditions of service. This article uses the case of Taiwan to show how the military covenant in a new democracy emerges out of social, political, and economic forces and to specify some of the special difficulties of formulating a democratic covenant. It explains that the covenant is a form of relational (as opposed to transactional) contract marked by trust and a long-term future orientation. The article then extends the study of covenants to issues of motivation, readiness, and risk taking and offers insights for further research on military covenants.
The anthropology of militaries in industrial countries is a relatively young discipline, which ha... more The anthropology of militaries in industrial countries is a relatively young discipline, which has seen significant growth since the end of the Cold War and the advent of the “new wars.” The chapter focuses on the anthropological analysis of social and cultural concerns related to (and derived from) the armed forces, war, and the provision for national security. It charts the main clusters of issues anthropologists are engaged with and explains the unique contribution of this discipline through the following themes: militarization, fieldwork, military organization and units, gender, military families, veterans, and medical anthropology. This chapter concludes with a discussion of anthropology’s contribution to military education.
Journal of Political & Military Sociology, Apr 25, 2022
Every country possessing an armed force has a military covenant: a set of shared, often implicit,... more Every country possessing an armed force has a military covenant: a set of shared, often implicit, expectations between the military and society. Derived from the social contract, the military covenant focuses on the willingness of soldiers to make sacrifices and forgo certain rights enjoyed by civilians in return for recognition of their important social role, fair treatment of them, and commensurate terms and conditions of service. This article uses the case of Taiwan to show how the military covenant in a new democracy emerges out of social, political, and economic forces and to specify some of the special difficulties of formulating a democratic covenant. It explains that the covenant is a form of relational (as opposed to transactional) contract marked by trust and a long-term future orientation. The article then extends the study of covenants to issues of motivation, readiness, and risk taking and offers insights for further research on military covenants.
A look into the combination of sociology and technology in the development of special military fo... more A look into the combination of sociology and technology in the development of special military forces, through the unique Israeli case study of the Haruv reconnaissance unit.
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Papers by Eyal Ben-Ari