Interview questions for podcast on homosociality PDF

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Mandatory assignment. The chosen topic for the podcast: the army and homosocial relationships. Interview questions for the guest speaker and literature to apply. ...

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Today we are interviewing James, who has served for 10 years in the Australian army and currently holds a captain rank at 27 years old. James is here to answer some questions regarding homosociality and gender and sexuality contestation in the Australian army, which would allow us to explore hegemonic representations of masculinity and femininity. James just got back from a deployment in South Sudan, where he had the opportunity to work with military personnel from 52 countries, which should provide for an interesting comparison of how standards in the Australian army differ from those of other countries. So, let’s get started. CONTESTATION

INTERECTION W/ PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS

HOMOSOCIALITY

HOMOSOCIALITY In terms of homosociality, there has been a lot of research on how men use objects, practices, concepts ot contingency as mediums to bond with other men. In 1985 Sedgwick argued that homosocial desire is characterised by a degree of affective and sexual intensity from highly charged homosexual relations through to less sexually charged affective relations of same-sex friendship. Anna Hickey Moody in 2015 stablished that homosociality is valued among men as the opportunity for them to enter the world of real, socially coded and sanctioned masculine relationships. 142 Now, it is clear that the army has always been a male-dominated environment, and even if it has come a long way in terms of inclusivity, it has not quite gotten there yet. And not only is it dominated by men, but it perpetuates a representation of hegemonic masculinity. I think the first image that comes to mind when anyone pictures a soldier is a man in his uniform, getting his hands dirty, so to speak, risking his live while fighting to save his country. This representation of men as brave, strong, tough and courageous ticks all the boxes in terms of a hegemonic representation of masculinity. As someone who has vast experience in this arena, does everyone match this masculine stereotype?

What happens to those who don’t? Gay, women, trans, etc? INTERSECTIONALITY

Do you think that because of this, it is harder for women to be taken seriously? This can be linked to the "either/or" assumption presented in " Religion" by Rob Clucas, either a woman or brave, tough, etc. Connell argues that people who can’t perform as an alpha, would still applaud those who can. Do you think this applies in your field?

yes Obviously, you need to go through extensive training to get where you are in the army. This training I would imagine consists of physical training as well as weapons, tanks, etc, which have traditionally been seen as manly. So, I would like to explore whether the theory of men using cars to build homosocial relationships is applicable to these objects. What Will Straw argued in 1997 is that masculinity is not the outcome, but the process; in this case, the training, and effort put into coming where you are. No, the hardship, process - Gendered social identity is tuned into a set of repertoire of actions. Is there sectors within the army that people go oh that’s gay? No, but some more respected than others – based on their understanding of it Special forces as the culmination of this hegemonic masculinity Does this masculinity translate into attractiveness or confidence? Why do you think this is? Linley Walker 199 relationship between the dominant form of heterosexuality and the construction of a hegemonic masculinist car culture, which can be applied here In the case of the cars, research shows burnouts as highly symbolic forms to present hegemonic masculinity. What do you think this will be equivalent to in your field? Shootings /uniform Linley also said that inculcation of patterns of desire ultimately underpins motor vehicle use by young men. Do you find the ways in which boys are traditionally brought up to perpetuate a kind of enthusiasm towards fights, weapons, tanks, etc, influence your choices? Bert Moorhouse 1991: 157 People consume things to signal values to their peers about themselves and their positions in the world. In the instance of cars, Summernats shifted from knowledge based to fun based events. Army shifted from masculine to mixed, and currently no serious wars/conflicts to participate in. How do you think these lower barriers of entry intersect with the shift in the army’s role in this day and age? I don’t believe that the barriers for entry have lowered, I believe that we have seen a complete shift in gender based restrictions from a strategic policy viewpoint. The barriers for entry have been modified in relation to physical fitness standards to ensure that with these new policy changes we are still receiving the required standard to fulfil certain physically dominant Corps such as Artillery, or Infantry, where a man or woman would be expected to be able to lift 40kg or heavier munitions, or carry a 40kg or heavier pack for hours every day for weeks or months at a time.

I think the Army strategic leaders are comfortable in enabling men and women to commit to joining any role in the Army, because currently we are in a period of calm from a conflict point of view. So, because Australia is in a “period of calm”, how do you think this has affected interest in the Army as a career, or recruitment strategies from the Government? I believe the Army is very good at giving the “highlights reel” when it comes to recruitment, it uses videos and images which civilians think are awesome including explosions, clearing an urban structure, climbing a mountain or jumping from a plane, things that we may actually do only very rarely in reality. But it is also very different campaigning to what was being used during the times of World War 1 & 2 or the Vietnam War, where the focus was on heroism and supporting the countries interests because we were at war. I believe current recruiting methods are focusing more on lifestyle, for example getting a free education or trade skill, making life-long friends and travelling the world, and that appeals to a wider audience. This points to different kind of enthusiasm. Will Straw argued in 1997 that enthusiasts can be assessed according to know how, and capacity to act, something like theoretical versus practical knowledge. These different forms of enthusiasm have been the result of the change of policy you mentioned before, which raises the question of belonging and respect. In relation to bodybuilding as a homosocial institution, _______ said that if your body respond in an appropriate ways or look a certain way, then you do not belong, and this is usually policed. So effectively, belonging is about how bodies respond to contingency, and therefore, belonging is performed, which produces a gendered economy of respect. Will Straw 1997.

How does this representation of hegemonic masculinity within the army differ for other countries’ personnel you’ve worked with? I think it can be concluded that the Army is a homosocial institution (1999: 180). And its practices are the glue, even when its manifestation is hostility or hatred or something less e emotively charged, that shapes an important relationship between men – Sedgwick 1985: 2...