New Times for the Military: Some Sociological Remarks on the Changing Role and Structure of the Armed Forces of the Advanced Societies

TLDR

The end of the Cold War marks a broader social transformation, ushering in “New Times” characterized by increased risk complexity, globalization, shifting political authority, challenges to sovereignty, and a growing demand for armed forces to align with civilian values such as social equality. This paper explores how the post‑Cold War era impacts the social structure of advanced societies’ armed forces. The study finds that armed forces are redefining their roles, broadening missions, coordinating military and political decision‑making, shrinking in size while increasing organizational flexibility to meet the challenges of “New Times.”.

Abstract

ABS I RAC I This paper explores the impact of the post-Cold War era on the social structure of the armed forces of the advanced societies. The end of the Cold War is viewed as one aspect of a broader social transformation. These 'New Times' are defined in terms of the growth of risk complexity, globalization, the relocation of political authority to transnational and subnational agencies, challenges to national sovereignty, and the impact of globalized communications on the relationship between politics and public opinion. The paper shows how armed forces are seeking to redefine their role and redesign their structures in order to address the international and domestic challenges posed by these 'New Times'. The range of missions is being broadened and significant changes in the co-ordination of military and political decision-making are taking place. In response to strategic and financial pressures, armed forces are not only becoming smaller, they are also seeking to achieve greater flexibility in their organization structures. At the same time, armed forces have to respond to pressures from wider society to conform to civilian values such as social equality, as is reviewed in current debates on the position of women and homosexual personnel in the sel vices.