Abstract
In Gender, War, and Conflict, Laura Sjoberg aims to demonstrate that the study of war and conflict would be enriched if researchers were to take into account the gendered aspects of war. Women have been fighting alongside men throughout the history of war, but it has only been relatively recently that they have been rapidly joining men on the front lines of conflict in militaries, insurgent groups, and terrorist organizations. Sjoberg argues that critically analyzing gender as part of war and conflict is crucial, as the gendered aspects of war and conflict have serious implications for both the men and women involved.
Sjoberg uses diverse examples of conflict and war and women’s roles in them to show the gendered aspects of conflict and its actors. She explains how media and historical accounts have ignored the importance and magnitude of women’s roles in conflict, how gender can help explain war, and how the people acting in conflicts experience them. Suggestions on methodology, theory, and how to empirically study war and conflict with the inclusion of gender as a factor are given. Sjoberg suggests that studying war and conflict within a gendered context can have policy implications; since the study of war has historically omitted the importance of gender, policy development and administration has also neglected the role of gender in war and conflict.
At the end of every chapter there are questions to increase engagement, suggested readings, and helpful internet resources. Besides the interesting and unique content of the book, these additional resources would make Gender, War, and Conflict useful for scholars and students in many areas, including International Relations, Sociology, Gender Studies, and Political Science.