ABSTRACT
The professionalization of the Armed Forces has meant that a large number of Western nations have abolished or suspended conscription and embraced an all-volunteer Army. In recent years, however, there has been a growing interest in re-establishing conscription. As a country that maintained conscription ever since regaining independence in 1991, Estonia may serve as a useful test case for policymakers. In our chapter, we will examine the tensions that arise in the lives of contemporary conscripts. On the one hand, in the context of “societal acceleration of time” (Rosa, 2013), the pressure to plan and manage events during one’s lifecourse has increased. On the other hand, the sequence of life events has become less predefined, meaning that individuals have more choices to create their own lifecourse, for example, by postponing starting a family or by opting for lifelong learning. In contrast, compulsory military service is strongly institutionalized, predefined. This study examines how drafted conscripts balance the power triangle made up of the institutions of family, changing society, and military. To that end, we use the Survey of Estonian Conscripts with a longitudinal sample of 1908 individuals. The results indicate that individual agency and the support of family (parents) play a significant role in successfully integrating conscription into one’s lifecourse.
