The purpose of this paper is to discuss the gendered social bonds and the everyday organisational practices and discourses of peacekeepers.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the gendered social bonds and the everyday organisational practices and discourses of peacekeepers.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on preliminary analysis of empirical material gathered through a seven‐month ethnography among Finnish peacekeeping officers in training and service.
Findings
In contrast to studies on homosociality, men's bonding and cohesion as a basis of optimal combat performance in military organisations, I suggest looking at the militarized social encounters, masculinities and collectives from the perspective of hybridity tensions and management. Peacekeepers' everyday practices and social structures can be interpreted as management of context‐specific power tensions.
Originality/approach
Offers a view to everyday life of peacekeeping and builds a basis for analysing men's social relations in organisations.