Introduction

An introduction is provided about the diverse and different nature of armed forces reservists and how they vary by nation. Reservists have become central to the armed forces as part of moves toward “total” or “comprehensive” defense. Despite this, scholarly biases toward studying regulars and conscripts imply that reservists and reserve soldiers continue to receive only marginal attention. In contrast to regulars and conscripts, reservists are marked by the dual management of civilian and military careers, different family dynamics, diverse motivations and commitment to the armed forces, the material and non-material incentives they are offered and their place in the political sphere. This introduction suggests two frames to make sense of such differences: the first is looking at reservists as “transmigrants” travelling between the military and civilian worlds and second is analyzing the multiple informal “contracts” and negotiations that bind them to the military. The chapters in the book are briefly introduced to the reader.