Understanding masculine identity among anti-war veterans

Abstract

The military is an arena in which strong ideals regarding masculinity are enforced, with the soldier often portrayed as a model of hegemonic masculinity in the USA. Men who adopt an anti-war position, which may directly conflict with positions taken by the military as an organization, may be particularly challenged in the renegotiation of their masculine identity upon re-entry to civilian life. This study employs Burke and Stets' Identity Theory (2009) and Connell's hegemonic masculinity (2005) to examine masculine identity among a group of 26 veterans. Using data from in-depth interviews with 26 former military personnel that now claim an anti-war position, the study explores how masculinity is (re)negotiated among these men. The findings include respondents' description of masculinity before and after adopting an ‘anti-war’ identity, as well as variations in masculinity among our respondents. Specifically, we found three types of masculinity among respondents. The masculinity scripts within these typologies, as well as patterns occurring within each type are presented and best explained by social status giving some men more freedom to protest the hegemonic ideal.

Keywords:

• masculine identity
• anti-war
• hegemonic masculinity
• veterans
• identity theory

Acknowledgements

This work would not be possible without the willing participation of each of the veterans interviewed. We would also like to thank Dr Susan Alexander for her helpful feedback on this article.

Notes on contributors

Anjel Stough-Hunter is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Ohio Dominican University. She researches and publishes in the areas of gender, health and the management of natural resources within the context of the local community. She is interested in the notion that decisions about both health and the natural environment are made within the socially constructed, gendered context of locally based daily life. Her recent work has focused on the construction, contestation, and impact of masculinities.

Julie Hart is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Ohio Dominican University. Her areas of expertise include peace and war, nonviolent social change, ethnic relations, and conflict transformation. Her research areas have included identity change, institutional change and political paradigm changes. She has been working summers with Christian Peacemaker Teams in Palestine and Colombia since 1997 and has also lived in Guatemala from 2001 to 2003 doing peace education among church leaders.

Notes

1. The role of religion as a catalyst in identity change is examined in future studies.

2. This study was approved by the Institution Review Board at Ohio Dominican University.

3. This term has been used in other research on masculinities (see, e.g., Hurtado & Sinha, 2008).