"Motherhood" and "military" are often viewed as dichotomous concepts, with the former symbolizing feminine ideals and expectations, and the latter suggesting masculine ideals and norms. Mothers, Military, and Society contributes to a growing body of research that disrupts this false dichotomy. This interdisciplinary and international volume explores the many ways in which mothers and the military converse, align, contest, and intersect in society. Through various chapters that include in-depth case studies, theoretical perspectives and personal narratives, this book offers insights into the complex relationship between motherhood and the military in ways that will engage both academic and non-academic readers alike.

This institutional ethnography interrogates my experiences as a woman and mother in the Canadian military, exploring how ruling relations perpetuate prevailing norms of military membership, gender, and family. It problematizes the normalization of family in the military, military cultural practices, and gender practices in a critique of official military policies, unofficial military texts, and news media representations. The dominant narrative of the military as a way of life is promoted through the ideological codes of duty, honour, and service before self. Dominant cultural practices and boss texts serve to validate the ideal of an unencumbered dedicated male soldier while excluding alternative understandings and realities. Although the everyday lives of military members are complex and varied, military ruling relations and representations work to eclipse diversity, valuing conformity and adherence to gendered hypermasculine norms.

"Despite Canada's claim to be a gender equitable nation, militarism continues to function in ways that protect inequality." -from the Introduction Little has been done to examine, critique, and challenge the ways ingrained societal ideas of militarism and gender influence lifelong learning patterns and practices of Canadians. Editor Nancy Taber and ten other contributors explore reasons why Canadian educators should be concerned with how learning, militarism, and gender intersect. Readers may be surprised to discover how this reaches beyond the classroom into the everyday lessons, attitudes, and habits that all Canadians are taught, often without question. Pushing the boundaries of education theory, research, and practice, this book will be of particular interest to feminist, adult, and teacher educators and to scholars and students of education, the military, and women's and gender studies. Contributors: Mark Anthony Castrodale, Gillian L. Fournier, Andrew Haddow, Cindy L. Hanson, Laura Lane, Jamie Magnusson, Robert C. Mizzi, Shahrzad Mojab, Snezana Ratkovic, Roger Saul, Nancy Taber.