Identities in Uniform

This book examines the construction of gendered identities within the Israeli army and their relationship with the conceptions of citizenship. Based primarily on interviews, the book explores the different construction of gendered identities amongst four distinct groups: combat soldiers, soldiers in blue-collar roles, soldiers in white-collar roles and women soldiers in “masculine" roles. The author argues that during their military service, soldiers in varied military roles construct different conceptions of masculinity and citizenship, both of which are constituted through an ongoing dialogue with the hegemonic masculinity of the combat soldier, which is also identified as the “good citizen”. Therefore, these multiple gendered and civic identities reflect and reproduce social stratification along the lines of gender, ethnicity and class.