Masculinity, Nationalism and Military Service in a Conflict Zone: Surveys in Southern Thailand
Project Overview
Project Leader
Period
- 2017 - 2020
Other participants
- Elin Bjarnegård
- Srisompob Jitpiromsri
- Anders Engvall
- Chayanit Poonyarat
Project description
This project investigates the relationships between masculine honor ideology and nationalism on the one hand, and military service in a context of active armed conflict on the other. The study examines opposite causal directions, i.e., (1) how masculine honor ideology and nationalism influence propensity to volunteer for military service in an active conflict zone; and (2) how military socialisation and experience of service in an active conflict zone influence masculine honor ideology and nationalism. Theory holds that individuals who more strongly embrace masculine honor ideology and nationalism are more likely to join a militant organisation and participate in violence. However, other arguments posit that the experience of being a member of a militant organisation, and experiencing violence, boost militarised masculinity and nationalism.
Surveys in the South of Thailand, where a separatist insurgency rages, will be combined with in-depth interviews. Conscripts, a control group, and paramilitary volunteers will be surveyed in year 1 (before service) and year 3 (after service). The in-depth interviews in year 2 will build on the first set of surveys.
This is a continuation of ongoing cooperation between Uppsala University and Prince of Songkhla University, Pattani, Thailand.
Financer
The Swedish Research Council