More information about this text:

In Brief:
Conscription is seen as forming a site and an issue-area around which different identities are struggled over and core political relations established in a security-related context. The unravelling of conscription thus unavoidably pertains to a set of essential ideational issues and has significance far beyond the military sphere. The contributors to this book explore the more profound issues such as the meaning of conscription in the context of the increasingly feeble relationship between the state and the nation.The analysis relates the question of changes or lack of change in recruitment to broader social, political and cultural issues, thereby breaking new ground. Attention not only focuses on what the military manpower systems do, but also on what they represent. As such, conscription has meaning far beyond the sphere of military affairs.

Contents
Introduction: unpacking conscription, Pertti Joenniemi; Farewell to conscription? the case of Denmark, Pertti Joenniemi; National or international? contending discourses on Finnish conscription, Kari Laitinen; The rise and death of conscription: the case of France, Jean-Philippe Lecomte; Resisting change: the politics of conscription in contemporary Germany, Kerry Longhurst; The power of the draft: a century of changing legitimacy of Norway's armed forces, Karsten Friis; Enduring conscription: vagueness and Värnplikt in Sweden, Anna Leander; The Swedish military manpower policies and their gender implications, Annica Kronsell and Erika Svedberg; Conclusion: national lexica of conscription, Anna Leander and Pertti Joenniemi; Index.

Reviews
'Adopting a revisionist and critical approach, this book demonstrates how conscription is evolving and why it remains an important model in a number of European countries. The book is both timely and sophisticated in its analysis and should appeal to scholars interested in processes of nation-building and the evolution of European security.'
Dr Christopher Browning, University of Birmingham, UK

'Adds to a long overdue International Relations literature that is grounded in lived social relations rather than abstract systemic speculations. The suggestions for how conscription may be changed in order to address post-modern security concerns are particularly welcome given today's global climate. A welcome contribution on a key theme.'
Iver Neumann, Oslo University, Norway

'This book not only provides us with important insights into a key aspect of European defence – that of conscription – but also places it in the wider social context of the countries involved. It is a valuable document that fills a gap in defence and strategic studies, but also contributes to a deeper understanding of the European state.'
Professor Clive Archer, Director, Manchester European Research Institute, UK

Fulltext document/more info available here NB! May require STiL or LUCAT login info (for copyright reasons)

Some more spotlighted texts:

Annika Björkdahl's article Norm-maker and Norm-taker: Exploring the Normative Influence of the EU in Macedonia discourses on the EU's role as a "norm-power". Learn more...

Anders Uhlin's Post-Soviet Civil Society is a comparative study of civil society and democratization across Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, including quantitative survey data, qualitative interviews and case study research Learn more...

Christer Jönsson’s and Martin Hall’s Essence of Diplomacy provides a panoptic view of the timeless aspects of diplomacy. Learn more...

Anders Hellström’s article Brussels and Populism' in European Legacy: towards new paradigms undersöker populismens roll i EU, och hur den påverkar frågor om integration och immigration. Learn more...

In a co-written article, Karin Bäckstrand and Eva Lövbrand examine the articulation and institutionalization of competing discourses in the climate negotiations as well as the wider implications for environmental governance. Learn more...

Johannes Stripple writes about the global dimension of the climate change issue in a new report by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Learn more...

In a recent article in Journal of European Public policy , Annica Kronsell discusses the relationship between gender dynamics and European integration Learn more...

Anders Hellström defends his dissertation, ”Bringing Europe Down to Earth.” Faculty opponent: Professor Gerard Delanty, University of Liverpool. Learn more...

Tomas Niklasson defends his dissertation, ”Political Stability and Foreign Policy Change – The Two-Level Game in Hungary 1956-94.” Fakulty opponent: Professor Adrian Hyde-Price Learn more...

Magnus Jerneck has edited Different Paths to Modernity which explores differences in the modernisation process between northern and southern Europe. Learn more...

In her article Gendered Practices in Institutions of Hegemonic Masculinity, Annika Kronsell discusses expressions of a gendered order in institutions that embodies hegemonic power, such as the armed forces Learn more...