Women have continually become more visible in the military. With the recent changes that now allow women to participate in direct combat occupations, various questions and concerns emerge about how the public perceives these new role changes for women. This exploratory-descriptive study examined the perceptions of 50 University social work student's (B.S.W. and M.S.W.) about women's roles in the military. This research was conducted using Qualtrics.com, and included demographic questions. Frequencies, chi-squares and cross tabulations were used to examine relationships between variables. The results indicated that although no significant relationship between these variables was found, other possible considerations on the topic emerged. One important, though not statistically significant finding of this study was that social work students are accepting of women in the military. This research has implications for social work education as well as, in practice. Evaluating social work student perceptions toward women serving in the military can lead to a better understanding of biases against women in military roles.

In this paper I will examine how the Finnish Armed Forces use representation to portraywomen within the military, in the context of marketing. I will do this partly by analyzingvisual texts, but also by performing a critical discourse analysis. Part of my aim is to reveal which discourses are present in the empirical material, which consists of three recruitmentbrochures. I also examine in what way the Finnish Armed Forces use these discourses toeither change or (re)produce the existing order of discourse. The main theoretical frameworkconsists of representation theory by Stuart Hall. Representation can according to Hall be usedas a power tool to control and (re)produce discourses in society. As a government institutionthe Armed Forces have the power to exclude or under-represent groups from a discourse,which results in a hegemony upheld by the same institutions. My results help uncover the ways in which military organizations, even in countries that are seen as rather equal, still havesome way to go until they reach full equality. My empirical findings show that the Finnish Armed Forces have not succeeded in representing women and men equally. Both men andwomen are often portrayed in a stereotypical manner. Consequently, The Finnish Armed Forces are contributing to a (re)production of existing traditional discourses, and are thereforecurrently not challenging any norms regarding what women in the Finnish Armed Forces canbe like.

The purpose of this study is to examine the discourse surrounding sexual assault and policy change in the U.S. military. As rhetoricians continue to embrace public sphere theory, the field has started asking what rhetoric's role is in solving public problems. My research questions were twofold: how do rhetorical processes construct social realities around sexual assault and how have these processes impacted policy change? These questions seek to further examine the rhetorical nature of publics and public spheres, specifically those surrounding the military and its interaction with the civilian public. In order to answer these questions, the case studies herein make use of rhetorical histories, grounded theory, discourse analysis, and public sphere theory. Also integral to these cases is the study of anger as a rhetorical force. The role of anger in this discourse is important, as it informs the narrative that grows out of each case study and it shapes public response to formerly private problems. Rhetoric's intervention in these cases shows the power of policy, language, and the material impact of both. The major guiding principle of my methodology is that institutions are shaped and brought to life through rhetorical processes and that these processes construct social reality inside and out of the institution in question. This dissertation examines public facing documents – memos, press releases, speeches, interviews, and leaked documents – and arranges them chronologically to offer a broader view of the discourse around sexual assault in context. The two case studies examine how the culture reinforced by uniform and fitness policies enact gender-based violence and follow the public responses to these incidents. / Doctor of Philosophy / The rise in high-profile sexual assault cases in the United States has drawn public attention to the high rates of sexual and gender-based violence in some of our most important and visible institutions, including our athletic teams, our universities, and our military. Anger plays a predominant role in the public reaction to each new allegation and it shapes the conversations happening around incidents of gender-based violence as public awareness grows. What impact does public anger have on the discourse surrounding these incidents? This study explores the impact of public anger after two major sexual assault scandals in the U.S. military broke headlines: Tailhook in 1991 and the United States Air Force Academy in 2003. A decade apart, these scandals rocked the nation and its trust in the military; they also triggered rapid policy change and growth regarding women's place in the military and how future incidents would be handled.

No description available.

Cease Fire is a war story told from one woman’s perspective. It’s about a farm girl and her battles fought as young soldier serving on a remote nuke site during the Cold War. It’s the interpretations of lived experiences, highs and lows of a military career fused with family life, and spanning over three decades. Like true war stories, Cease Fire has little to do with actual war. It is a sometimes humorous, but often tragic attempt to make peace and to make sense of the places, comrades and enemies that graced and plagued a career. First names and nicknames were used to protect the privacy of a few and render respect for the surviving children of a fallen two.

No description available.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Transformation is an inevitable consequence of human resource practices and includes the political imperatives, behavioural transformation and the turnaround change. Gender equality is a critical component of the United Nations Resolution on Human Rights (Resolution 1325). Women are subjected to a variety of barriers that determine their organisational experiences, and therefore the achievement of gender equity requires the elimination of patriarchal practices, stereotypes and attitudes that perpetuate their marginalisation. Striving for gender equity within the armed forces should not reduce women to being passive victims of the transformation agenda as they operate both during conflict and peace-time. The representation and empowerment of women into decision-making structures and the protection of their rights can be spearheaded through the gender mainstreaming strategies. In the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) transformation placed greater emphasis on racial representivity to the neglect of gender equity. This situation has effectively contributed to the gender dialogue which aimed to assess the implementation of gender equity objectives. Furthermore, it is the guiding principle on the participation of women in the military to enhance gender representation and the attainment of self-actualisation and excelling in their areas of responsibilities. The purpose of the study was to explore the extent to which the SANDF supports gender transformation imperatives to ensure gender equity and it further investigated gender integration within the SANDF as a supportive theoretical analysis. The conceptual framework of gender transformation and gender mainstreaming in the military, and in particular within the SANDF, in the context of Employment Equity was conducted. To make an objective and informed assessment, the attitudes and perceptions of middle management and lower management of both the SANDF were measured. Data were collected from respondents through three sessions of facilitated focus group interviews and a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire. The sample was drawn from the Pretoria region. The findings of the study indicated that the DOD top leadership is supportive of gender transformation by the effective promulgation of transformation policies and the improvement in the representation of women in decision-making structures. The military environment is trying to create a conducive environment for women by providing resources, the essential training for women to maximise their potential, and furthermore by allowing their inclusion in all areas including deployment areas. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Transformasie is ‘n onvermydelike gevolg van personeelbestuurspraktyk en sluit in die politieke imperatiewe, gedragstransformasie en omkeerverandering. Geslagsgelykgeregtigheid is ‘n kritieke komponent van die Verenigde Volke se Resolusie aangaande Menseregte (Resolusie 1325). Vroue word onderwerp aan ‘n verskeidenheid hindernisse wat hul organisasie ervarings bepaal en daarom vereis die bereiking van geslagsgelykgeregtigheid die uitwissing van patriargale praktyke, stereotipes en houdings wat marginalisering bevorder. Die strewe na geslagsgelykgeregtigheid binne Weermagte behoort vroue nie te degradeer tot passiewe slagoffers van die transformasie agenda nie aangesien hulle aangewend word tydens beide konflik- en vredestye. Die verteenwoordiging en bemagtiging van vroue in besluitmakende strukture en die beskerming van hulle regte kan gerig word deur geslagshoofstroming strategieë. In die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag (SANW) plaas transformasie groter klem op rasse verteenwoordiging as op die nalating van geslagsgelykgeregtigheid. Die situasie het effektief bygedra tot die geslagsdialoog wat beoog om die implementering van geslagsgelykgeregtigheid doelwitte te evalueer. Dit is ook verder die leidinggewende beginsel rakende die deelname van vroue in die militêr om geslagsverteenwoordiging te bevorder, die bereiking van selfaktualisering en uitblinking in hulle verantwoordelikeidsomgewings. Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal tot welke mate die SANW geslagstransformasie imperatiewe ondersteun ten einde geslagsgelykgeregtigheid te verseker en het ook ondersoek ingestel na geslagsintegrasie binne die SANW as ‘n ondersteunende teoretiese anal ise. Die konseptuele raamwerk is geskep rakende geslagstransformasie en geslagshoofstroming in die militêr, en in besonder aangaande die SANW binne die konteks van Werkverskaffingsgelykheid. Ten einde ‘n objektiewe en ingeligte evaluering uit te voer, is die houdings en persepsies van Departement van Verdediging (DvV) militêre en siviele middelbestuurders en lae vlak bestuurders gemeet. Data is versamel van respondente tydens drie geleenthede van gefasiliteerde fokusgroep onderhoude en ‘n semi -geadministreerde vraelys. Die steekproef is geneem vanuit die Pretoria omgewing. Die bevindinge van die studie dui daarop dat die (DvV) se top-leierskap ondersteunend is aangaande geslagstransformasie deur die effektiewe uitvaardiging van transformasie beleide en die verbetering van verteenwordiging van vroue in besluitmakende strukture. Die militêre omgewing poog om ‘n omgewing te skep wat toeganklik is vir vroue deur die voorsiening van middele wat noodsaaklik is vir opleiding van vroue ten einde hul potensiaal te optimaliseer en hulle verder toegang te verleen tot alle gebiede insluitend gevegsgebiede.

Thesis (MPA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As early as the unification of South Africa in 1910 enforced discrimination in the military has been an issue that affected both race and gender. The advent of democracy in South Africa has brought fundamental changes in spheres of governance. One of these changes is the transformation of the public service of which the Department of Defence, in particular the South African National Defence Force, is part. The constitutional and judicial imperatives stipulated to the government departments to be representative of the demographic composition of the population of South Africa. The Department of Defence has provided a policy on equal opportunity and affirmative action to redress the racial and gender imbalances of the past, to protect individual and groups against unfair discrimination andto work towards achievement of employment equity. The study seeks to establish the extent and influence of gender discrimination in the South African National Defence with particular reference to the SA Army's Western Province Command. To achieve this, the attitude of the middle and top management of the WP Command towards the utilisation or employment of women in combat roles were assessed. The study also investigated whether the mentioned management does encourage women to be involved or participate in combat roles. Data was collected from respondents by means of a structured questionnaire consisting of 58 questions (plus 8 unstructured questions). The sample was drawn from the SA Army's WP Command and the focus was on middle and top management. Findings of the study indicate that the SA Army's WP Command's middle and top management supports the equality of men and women in general, but is reluctant to allow women to participate in combat roles side by side with their male counterparts. Although there seems to be an understanding and support for the policies of addressing equal opportunities, traditional cultural beliefs or stereotypes about women still shape and influence the acceptance and the non-acceptance of women in combat roles Finally, recommendations highlight issues of consideration when drafting policy vis-a-vis the utilisation of women as combat soldiers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Reeds so vroeg as Uniewording van Suid Afrika in 1910 was geforseerde diskriminasie binne die weermag 'n kwessie wat beide ras en geslag beïnvloed het. Die totstandkoming van 'n demokrasie in Suid Afrika het fundamentele veranderinge in die sfeer van Staatsbestuur te weeg gebring. Een van hierdie veranderinge het betrekking op die transformasie van die staatsdiens, waarvan die Suid Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag 'n deel is. Daar rus 'n konstitusionele en juridiese verpligting op staatsdepartmente om die demografiese samestelling van die bevolking van Suid Afrika te weerspieel. Die Department van Verdediging het 'n beleid van gelyke geleenthede en regstellende optrede ontwikkelom die rasse- en geslagsongelykhede van die verlede aan te spreek. Die beleid poog om individue en groepe teen onregverdige diskriminasie te beskerm en om billikheid in die werksomgewing te verseker. Hierdie studie poog om die omvang en invloed van geslagsdiskriminasie in die Suid- Afrikaanse Nasionale .Weermag te bepaal, met spesifieke verwysing na Kommandement Westelike Provinsie in die Suid-Afrikaanse Leer. Ten einde die omvang en invloed te bepaal is die houdings van middel- en topbestuur van Kommandement WP beoordeel met betrekking tot die aanwending of benutting van vrouens in 'n gevegsrol. Die studie poog om te bepaal of genoemde bestuurders vrouens aanmoedig om betrokke te raak by, of deel te neem in 'n gevegsrol. Data insameling het geskied deur middel van 'n gestruktureerde vraelys wat 58 vrae bevat het (Daar was ook 8 ongestruktureerde vrae ingesluit). Die steekproef is getrek uit lede van die Suid Afrikaanse Leer verbonde aan Kommandement Westelike Provinsie, met die spesifieke fokus op middel- en topbestuur. Bevindings van die studie dui daarop dat middel- en topbestuur van Kommandement Westelike Provinsie (SA Leer) oor die algemeen gelykheid tussen mans en dames ondersteun. Hulle is egter onwillig om vrouens toe te laat om sy aan sy met hul manlike eweknie in 'n gevegsrol te funksioneer. Alhoewel dit blyk dat daar begrip en steun bestaan vir die beleid wat gelyke geleenthede voorskryf, bepaal tradisionele kulturele oortuigings of stereotipes met betrekking tot vroue steeds die aanvaarding of nie-aanvaarding van vrouens in 'n gevegsrol. Die finale aanbeveling beklemtoon dat daar sekere kwessies is wat oorweging moet geniet wanneer 'n beleid ten opsigte van die benutting van vroue as soldate in 'n gevegsrol, opgestel word.

Bakgrund och problem:  Sedan lång tid tillbaka har det ansetts att lumpen är något av det manligaste som kan göras, för det är då ”pojkar blir till män”, och det har funnits en föreställning om att kvinnor inte hör hemma i den militära sfären. Detta med anledning att kvinnor setts som fysiskt svagare och i behov av skydd från män, vilket har medfört ett hinder för kvinnor att positionera sig i det militära. Försvarsmakten är ett av Sveriges sista manliga yrkesmonopol som avsattes först år 1989 och det har ställts många krav på kvinnor för att de skall kunna etablera sig i myndigheten. Historiskt upplevdes Försvarsmakten ha en ”grisig” jargong, kvinnor ansåg sig bli illa behandlade av befäl och sexism var något som tycktes ”sitta i väggarna”. Sverige är ett av de länder i världen som har högst andel kvinnor i arbetslivet. Trots detta har Sverige en av de mest könssegregerade arbetsmarknader i världen. Försvarsmakten arbetar idag med jämställdhet i form av handlingsplaner för jämställdhetsintegrering och mål för att uppnå en jämnare könsfördelning men det är endast 17 procent av de anställda som är kvinnor, vilket gör Försvarsmakten till en av Sveriges mest könssegregerade arbetsplatser. Syfte och metod: Syftet med föreliggande studie var att medvetandegöra samt öka förståelsen för hur socialt konstruerade könsnormer upplevs påverkar kvinnors möjligheter att arbeta i, utveckla sin karriär och stanna kvar i mansdominerade organisationer, i detta fall Försvarsmakten. Nio semistrukturerade djupintervjuer genomfördes på Trängregementet där respondenterna bestod av både kvinnor och män som är officerare. Utöver intervjuerna har även flertalet olika dokument granskats som primärt underlag för den diskursanalys som utfördes i studien samt att dokumentationen och empirin verkade som supplement till varandra. De diskursanalytiska metoderna som använts var delar av diskurspsykologi och Bacchias WPR-ansats. Intervjuerna och de granskade dokumenten utgör även studiens triangulering i syfte att erhålla ett bredare perspektiv och därmed gavs möjligheten till en djupare, mer träffsäker och fullständig bild av Försvarsmaktens jämställdhetsarbete. Resultat och slutsatser: Utifrån den diskursanalys som gjordes gick det att finna att Försvarsmakten ser på individen som problemet snarare än att det är organisationen som behöver åtgärdas samt att det även är individen som skall utgöra eller skapa lösningen. Kvinnor har formellt sett goda möjligheter till att göra karriär i Försvarsmakten. Karriärutveckling upplevs däremot som allt för snabb så att relevanta kunskaper och erfarenheter inte erhålls i den mån som upplevs behövas. Kvinnor har dessutom utmaningar med sin identitetsutveckling där de slits mellan att inte vara för ”kvinnliga” men inte heller för ”manliga”. Därmed upplever kvinnor att de inte når upp till de förväntningar som sätts på dem eller så väljer de att anta en mer ”maskulin” form för att försöka anpassa sig till normen. Stereotyper och jargong påverkar således kvinnor ur en negativ aspekt i deras arbete. / Background and problem: For a long time, it has been considered that the military service is one of the manliest things that can be done, because that is when "boys become men", and there has been a notion that women do not belong in the military sphere. This is because women were physically weaker and in need of protection from men, which has led to a barrier for women from positioning themselves in the military. The Swedish armed forces are one of Sweden's last male occupational monopolies and was first set aside 1989 and many demands have been made for women to be able to establish themselves in the authority. Historically, the armed forces were perceived to have a "grubby" jargon, women felt they were badly treated by command and sexism was something that seemed to be deeply rooted. Sweden is one of the countries in the world with the highest proportion of women in working life. Despite this, Sweden has one of the most gender-based segregation of the labor market in the world. The Swedish armed forces are currently working on gender equality in the form of action plans for gender mainstreaming and targets for achieving a more balanced gender balance. But only 17 percent of their employees are women, which makes the armed forces one of Sweden's most gender segregated workplaces. Purpose and method: The purpose of this study was to raise awareness and increase understanding of how socially constructed gender norms are perceived affecting women's opportunities to work, develop their careers and remain in male-dominated organizations, in this case the Swedish armed forces. Nine semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted at Trängregementet where the respondents consisted of both women and men who are officers. In addition to the interviews, several different documents have been examined as the primary basis for the discourse analysis that was carried out in the study. The reviewed documentation and the interviews also appeared as a supplement to each other. The discourse analytical methods used were parts of discourse psychology and Bacchias WPR approach. The interviews and the reviewed documents also form the triangulation of the study in order to obtain a broader perspective and thus the possibility of a deeper, more accurate and complete picture of the armed forces gender equality work. Results and conclusions: Based on the discourse analysis that was done, it was to be found that the armed forces see the individual as the problem rather than that the organization needs to be addressed. The individual should also form or create the solution. Women have formally good opportunities to make careers in the armed forces. Career development, however, is perceived as too fast so that relevant knowledge and experiences are not obtained to the extent that is felt needed. In addition, women have challenges with their identity development where they are torn between not being too "feminine" but also not to "masculine". Therefore, they feel absence of achieving the expectations that are put on them or they choose to adopt a more "masculine" forms to adapt to the norm. Stereotypes and jargon thus affect women from a negative aspect of their work.