Bonds of burden and bliss: the management of social relations in a peacekeeping organisation

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the gendered social bonds and the everyday organisational practices and discourses of peacekeepers. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on preliminary analysis of empirical material gathered through a seven‐month ethnography among Finnish peacekeeping officers in training and service. Findings In contrast to studies on homosociality, men's bonding and cohesion as a basis of optimal combat performance in military organisations, I suggest looking at the militarized social encounters, masculinities and collectives from the perspective of hybridity tensions and management. Peacekeepers' everyday practices and social structures can be interpreted as management of context‐specific power tensions. Originality/approach Offers a view to everyday life of peacekeeping and builds a basis for analysing men's social relations in organisations.