Swain, J; (2016) Changing the identities of young army recruits and new ways of looking at hegemonic forms of military masculinity. Culture, Society and Masculinities , 8 (1)

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Abstract

This article is about the changing identities of young male recruits in the British army. The data is based on 60 in-depth, semi-structured, interviews that formed part of a major three-year longitudinal study (2008–11). The great majority of the recruits, were aged between 16–19 years old, and were in the infantry or other combat related units. The article explores the characteristics of the peer group culture, discusses the important function of role models, and considers the career point at which the trainees begin to regard themselves as being a “real” soldier. The idealised and hegemonic form of masculinity that the recruits aspired to was based on physicality and toughness and was encapsulated in the action image of the “warrior hero”. However, although the culture was highly competitive, the data shows there to be a more nuanced form of hegemonic military masculinity, which was also inclusive and egalitarian, and contained a number of more feminised associated qualities such as of collaboration and caring.

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