ABSTRACT
Feminists have shown that definitions of security and militarism are shaped by gender norms and binaries. They have also pointed to the centrality of gender in understanding the structures and processes associated with security and militarism, in institutions that range from militaries themselves to university campuses. In this chapter, we explore three key ideas. The first is the claim that militarism and security are not fixed, apolitical concepts; rather, security and militarism are unfixed ideas. How these terms are defined reflects values and assumptions that have built-in gendered norms and biases. The second, related, idea is that militarism and security are inclusive concepts that are relevant to understanding everything from the interactions of warring states to decisions by universities made in the name of keeping students safe on campus. In short, feminists dispute definitions of security and militarism that focus solely on ‘hard’ security issues and ‘real’ militarist processes like war, weapons acquisition and securing national borders. The third claim we make in this chapter draws on feminist recognition that security and militarism involve processes, without clear singular goals or outcomes; the study of security and militarism requires attention to the systems, institutions and practices that sustain (but may also be used to dismantle) particular patterns of security and militarism.
