ABSTRACT

This is the first comparative, cross-national study of the participation of women in the armed forces of NATO countries. Along side an analysis of this key topic stands a critique of existing theoretical models and the proposal of a revised analytical framework.

Unlike previous works this new study employs mixed-methodological research design combining quantitative and qualitative data - a large N-analysis based on general policies and statistical information concerning every country in the sample with more in-depth case-studies.

This volume includes original empirical data regarding the presence of women in the armed forces of NATO countries, proposes an index of ‘gender inclusiveness’ and assesses the factors that affect women’s military roles. The book also presents two new key case studies – Portugal and the Netherlands - based on both documentary sources and in-depth interviews of both men and women officers in the two countries.

This book will be of great interest to all students and scholars of strategic studies, gender and women studies and military history.

chapter |4 pages

Introduction

chapter 1|20 pages

Women in the military

A global overview

chapter 4|25 pages

The military institution and social change

chapter 5|40 pages

Gender integration in the armed forces

A cross-national comparison of policies and practices in the NATO countries

chapter 6|28 pages

Portugal and the Netherlands

Military and social contexts

chapter 7|32 pages

Interpersonal dynamics of gender integration

The case of the officer corps

chapter 8|12 pages

Conclusion