Gwybodaeth Modiwlau

This module provides an opportunity to analyse conceptual frameworks and empirical case studies of wome'ss involvement in militaries and in warfare with a focus on the period since 1914.

The aim of this module is to examine theoretical, historical and contemporary debates concerning the relationship between women, militaries and war.

This module begins by considering the major debates in International Relations literature about the gendered nature of militaries and warfare, and by examining the ways that different schools of thought have viewed women's participation in armed forces and warfare. After identifying a series of important issues through their examination of theoretical literature, students will discuss those issues in relations to a number of historical and contemporary case studies, including the First and Second World War, the Vietnam War and the 1990-91 Gulf War. Emphasis will be placed upon exploring continuity and change in women's experience of warfare since 1914 and on comparing the different expectations and consequences of Western and non-Western women's participation in war. Students will also consider the extent and impact of the integration of women on the armed forces of different countries, and assess the likely impact of significant changes in the nature of war (for example, the greater emphasis on the peacekeeping role on the part of Western armies) on women's involvement in war.