Memoirs of Captain Fury: An ethnographic study of gender and the military

The military is often cited as a site of progress and advancement when it comes to issues of social justice and equality. But looking at the history and present circumstances of the U.S. Army tells a different story. While the Army often accepts into its ranks the service of members of minorities groups, the policies it institutes in relation to these groups undermine their participation within the institution, limiting their contributions based on broader U.S. social understandings of their role in society. Women are one such group who find themselves facing rules and regulations that demonstrate the Army's ambivalent relationship with their service. The association of military service with masculine attributes, and the perceived correlation of certain biological characteristics with particular gender performances means the military has a hard time deciding on women's roles and place within the institution. Using field research methods that include ethnography, interviews, and content analysis, this dissertation focuses on both the micro and macro level construction of gender roles within the masculine institution of the military. It investigates the nature of gendered institutional policies, gendered interpersonal interactions, and individual level gender performances in order to gain a broader understanding of not only how, but also why women's equality within the institution is so elusive.;Keywords. gender, military, institutions, culture, women.