Violence in the Military and Relations Among Men: Military Masculinities and ‘Rape Prone Cultures’

Violence in the military refers to hazing, bastardization, sexual assault and rape – violence by military personnel against other personnel. That violence has a long history and is entangled in military tradition, ritual and formal doctrine. Contemporary militaries face a key challenge posed by social change – organizational diversity. This chapter provides theoretical and empirical evidence for making sense of violence within the military. The notions of male fraternity and military masculinities are employed to explain this phenomenon. Moreover, violence in the military and military culture have become increasingly scrutinized in a historical period where liberal democracy is itself increasingly under scrutiny and resistance. How the military addresses such organizational violence and diversity is a study of the liberal potential of authoritarian institutions.