The Military in the Service of Society and Democracy: The Challenge of the Dual-Role Military

(Hardback)

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This volume examines civil-military relations in general and nonmilitary functions in the service of society and democracy in particular in six different nations, against the backdrop of the Israeli experience with a dual-role military. Since its inception, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has functioned as a very effective fighting force while also fulfilling many core nonmilitary roles as a powerful, educational, and remedial agent engaged in strengthening the fabric of Israeli society. The inner workings of the IDF in this area--the subject and dynamics of its broad social agenda, including the dilemmas inherent in education toward broad intellectual autonomy within a regimented system such as the military--are presented, for the first time before a non-Israeli audience, in detail (and with much candor) by both high echelon IDF personnel and junior officers in conscript service directly responsible for carrying out these missions.

Reviews

. . . a valuable contribution to the growing body of literature on the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). * Joint Force Quarterly *
This collection of essays is candid, revealing, and thought-provoking. * Naval Institute Proceedings *
A must for a military sociology library. I found the editor's chapter on 'mainstreaming marginal populations through military service' especially valuable. * The International Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces & Society Newsletter *

Author Bio

DANIELLA ASHKENAZY is a freelance journalist who writes for the print media in both Israel and abroad. Intimately acquainted with Israel's complex social fabric, her social and political commentary and in-depth articles appear in some of Israel's leading papers and periodicals, including the Jerusalem Post and Davar. The editor is currently engaged in an independent study of the IDF as an educational agent in society.