Negotiating the Uniform: Youth Attitudes towards Military Service in Israel

Young ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-320
Author(s):  
Yaron Girsh

Military service is one of the key milestones in Jewish Israelis’ transition to adulthood. Given the dominant role of the military in Israeli society, an understanding of young adults’ attitude towards the importance of the military and the nature of their service is needed. Based on 44 group interviews with 132 Jewish Israeli high school students, the study follows the differential attitude of youths towards compulsory military service, along socioeconomic lines. It concludes that (a) despite changes in Israeli society, young people still consider soldiers as the ultimate models of heroism, and view military service as a necessary component of normative citizenship and (b) they negotiate the nature and content of their military service based on its expected contribution to future mobility opportunities. The findings indicate that within the shared cultural script of the military’s importance, alternative paths play out without directly challenging the dominant consensus within Israeli society.

2013 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
Nicola Mondaini ◽  
Mauro Silvani ◽  
Teo Zenico ◽  
Fabrizio Gallo ◽  
Franco Rosso ◽  
...  

Introduction: Few studies on the prevalence of male sexual diseases are currently available due to difficult application of observational studies or andrological disease prevention campaigns on large series of apparently healthy subjects. The medical check-up linked to compulsory military service represented in Italy a valid tool for epidemiological and observational study for 18 year old boys from 1861 to 2004. The stopping of compulsory military service and its related medical check-up could have determined an important social impact in terms of a lower level of attention and care on male genital/sexual diseases. The aim of the present observational study was to check the prevalence of genital/ sexual diseases among young male high-school students and promote an alternative campaign of information among young students. Methods: A prospective observational analytical study on young male students was conducted by 6 urological centres. Genital and sexually transmitted diseases were presented with slides to students in a general assembly. Some students were then counselled and filled out a short questionnaire on their lifestyle. Results: 12,535 students (10,432 males-83.6%) followed the presentation. and 4,897 males (46.7%) decided to be checked-up by the urologist and out of them 1554 (31.7%) presented relevant andrological diseases. Five-hundred students completed the questionnaire concerning their lifestyle. Many of them had not yet experienced condom use during sexual intercourse (27.8%). Drug abuse was reported by 39.6% of subjects and alcohol consumption in 80.8% of them. Conclusions: These data suggest the need for a national information campaign on male sexual disorders to promote sexual health.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernard Nolen Fortuin

With the institution of compulsory military service in South Africa in 1948 the National Party government effected a tool well shaped for the construction of hegemonic masculinities. Through this, and other structures like schools and families, white children were shaped into submissive abiding citizens. Due to the brutal nature of a militarised society, gender roles become strictly defined and perpetuated. As such, white men’s time served on the border also “toughened” them up and shaped them into hegemonic copies of each other, ready to enforce patriarchal and racist ideologies. In this article, I look at how the novel Moffie by André Carl van der Merwe (2006) illustrates hegemonic white masculinity in South Africa and how it has long been strictly regulated to perpetuate the well-being of the white family as representative of the capitalist state. I discuss the novel by looking at the ways in which the narrator is marked by service in the military, which functions as a socialising agent, but as importantly by the looming threat of the application of the term “moffie” to himself, by self or others.  


2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-97
Author(s):  
Zenobia C.Y. Chan

Abstract This study explored students’ perspectives on the abilities acquired through a subject called Health Management and Social Care (HMSC), which was launched under Hong Kong’s new senior secondary curriculum. The first public examination for the subject was conducted in 2012. A qualitative design was adopted in the present study, with focus group interviews carried out with 123 students recruited from seven schools. Two major themes were identified via content analysis: (i) critical thinking and creativity in HMSC; and (ii) applications of critical thinking and creativity in HMSC with two subthemes (a) health/social care promotions on campus and (b) social services in communities. Both the implications and limitations of the study for health-related subjects were discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
joseph shrand ◽  
madeline digiovanni ◽  
dana lee ◽  
anita kishnore ◽  
andres martin

Objective: Drug Story Theater (DST) is a peer-to-peer intervention that engages teenagers in the early stages of their recovery to develop shows about the seduction of, addiction to, and recovery from drugs and alcohol. Methods: We analyzed anonymous surveys completed by students before and after attending a DST performance, and transcripts of focus group interviews conducted with (1) program developers, (2) stakeholders, (3) performers, and (4) audience members. Results: Students (N = 871) from 5 schools attended one of 2 DST performances. Participants demonstrated increased knowledge on 5 fact-based questions (mean improvement range, 19%- 35%; p < .001 for all), and favorable changes on 10 items addressing perceptions regarding substance use risk (paired t test range, 3.9-9.4; p < .001 for all). Through iterative thematic analysis we developed an alliterative “7P” model spanning 2 domains: (1) Participants (Performers and Peers); and (2) Program (Partnerships, Practicalities, and Prevention). Conclusions: Exposure to a DST performance improved knowledge and risk perceptions about addiction among middle and high school students. It remains to be seen if those changes can have an effect on the prevention of substance use and dependence among vulnerable youth, and whether the active components of DST can be replicated in other school environments.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
Kei Mihara

Sleeping in class is a common phenomenon among students in Japanese universities. There are several possible reasons for this: tiredness from daily routines such as commuting, difficulty concentrating in 90-minute classes, or a lack of motivation to study. As for English as a foreign language (EFL) classes, it is possible that university students are not as motivated as high school students, considering that English education in Japan is generally aimed at preparing students for university entrance examinations. The main purpose of this study is, therefore, to examine ways to prevent students from sleeping in class by improving their motivation. Based on the results of questionnaire surveys and focus group interviews, this study seeks to identify ways in which student attention and alertness in class can be improved. The participants in this study were asked to take a vocabulary test before completing exercises in their textbook. After four weeks, follow-up research was conducted using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The study results showed that taking a vocabulary test at the beginning of class is an effective method of motivating students, but that motivation alone cannot prevent university students from sleeping in class.


2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shi-Jer Lou ◽  
Huei-Yin Tsai ◽  
Kuo-Hung Tseng ◽  
Ru-Chu Shih

This study aims to explore the application of STEM-I (STEM-Imagination) project-based learning activities and its effects on the effectiveness, processes, and characteristics of STEM integrative knowledge learning and imagination development for female high school students. A total of 72 female high school students were divided into 18 teams. Students were provided with a place to discuss, share, and integrate learning activities. A questionnaire and focus group interviews were conducted for data collection. The results show that STEM-I project-based learning activities can promote the development of diverse abilities and effectively expand STEM knowledge integration and learning for female high school students as well as enhance their imagination in the project-based activities. Additionally, the STEM-I instructional model with the process of initiation, development, expression, alternative, and links (IDEAL) is confirmed. Finally, some suggestions are proposed for future studies on STEM education and imagination integrative instruction.


2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 307-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney L. Wilt ◽  
Mary E. Morningstar

Abstract The increasingly diverse population in the United States calls for schools to address the breadth of cultural histories students bring with them to the classroom. High school students with disabilities are also diverse in terms of cultural histories, race, ethnicities, religions, and citizenship. These factors intersect as families engage in planning for the transition to adulthood. A requisite for culturally diverse families with young adults who receive services under the educational category of intellectual disability (ID) are school professionals who can meaningfully collaborate. This review of literature from peer-reviewed journals seeks to understand if culturally responsive practices are utilized with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) families during transition planning. This review also explored whether culturally sustaining practices strengthen partnerships between teachers and CLD families and adolescents with disabilities, including those with ID. Implications are associated with how teachers can perceive diversity from a strengths perspective as a vital component of transition planning.


Author(s):  
Meredith Kleykamp ◽  
Ryan Kelty ◽  
David R. Segal

This chapter examines the role of military experience on positive or negative development and functioning in early adulthood. It reviews the demographic composition of the military in the United States, with attention to the diversity of those who serve. It reviews how military service influences the transition to adulthood, now serving as a pathway toward, rather than an interruption of, adulthood. It summarizes the wealth of research connecting military service to midlife outcomes, with a special focus on how military experiences may generate positive growth and resilience. Although some who serve may experience trauma, military service can also provide material and psychosocial benefits, including post-traumatic growth. Notably, the benefits of military service tend to accrue most for individuals who come from more disadvantaged backgrounds, making the military a potentially important institutional setting for a successful transition to adulthood for those who need such supports the most.


2020 ◽  
Vol 185 (9-10) ◽  
pp. e1632-e1639
Author(s):  
Brian A Moore ◽  
Willie J Hale ◽  
Jason L Judkins ◽  
Cynthia L Lancaster ◽  
Monty T Baker ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Contingency operations during the past 18 years have exposed millions of U.S. military service members to numerous combat and operational stressors. Despite this, a relative dearth of literature has focused on the experiences of deployed military medical personnel. As such, the present study aimed to address this gap in the literature by conducting individual and small group interviews with Air Force medical personnel who had recently returned from a deployment to Iraq. Interviews targeted self-reported factors related to psychological risk and resiliency across the deployment cycle, while also seeking recommendations for future military medical personnel preparing for medical deployments. Materials and Methods Inductive thematic analyses were conducted on transcripts from 12 individual and structured group interviews conducted with recently deployed U.S. Air Force medical personnel (N = 28). An interview script consisting of 18 prompts was carefully developed based on the experiences of study personnel. Two team members (n = 1 research psychologist; n = 1 military medical provider) coded exemplars from interview transcripts. A third team member (research psychologist) reviewed coded exemplars for consistency and retained themes when saturation was reached. Results In total we report on 6 primary themes. Participants reported feeling prepared to conduct their mission while deployed but often felt unprepared for the positions they assumed and the traumas they commonly experienced. Most participants reported deployment to be a rewarding experience, citing leader engagement, and social support as key protective factors against deployment-related stressors. Finally, following deployment, participants largely reported positive experiences reintegrating with their families but struggled to reintegrate into their workplace. Conclusion Findings from the present study indicate that the military is largely doing a good job preparing Air Force medical providers to deploy. Results of the present study indicate that military medical personnel would benefit from: (1) increased predictability surrounding deployment timelines, (2) improved cross-cultural training, (3) advanced training for atypical injuries in unconventional patient populations, and (4) improvements in postdeployment workplace reintegration. The present research has the potential to positively impact the overall quality of life for deploying military service members and their families; while simultaneously highlighting the successes and shortfalls in the deployment process for U.S. military medical personnel.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronen Segev

Abstract Background From the very onset, Israeli military nurses served in supporting positions on the front lines, shoulder to shoulder with men. When the IDF was established in 1948, nurses were sent to serve near areas of conflict and were not included in compulsory military service in field units. Once the military hospitals were closed in 1949, nursing in the Medical Corps lost a clear military purpose, and its main contribution was in the civilian arena. From 1949 until 2000, most recruited military nurses operated their mandatory service mainly in a civilian framework according to the integration agreement between the ministry of defense to the ministry of health. Between 2000 to 2018, military nurses served at home front military clinics and in headquarters jobs at the Medicine Corps. In2018, the Medical Corps decided to integrate military nurses into the Israeli military service in order to cope with the shortage of military physicians, among other things, and ensure appropriate availability of medical and health services for military units.. This study examines, for the first time, the considerations that led to the closure of military hospitals and the transfer of the military service of nurses in the IDF to the Ministry of Health in 1949 and the decision in 2018 to return the military nurses to the field’s military battalions. Methods The study was based on an analysis of documents from the IDF archives, the Israeli parliament archive, the David Ben-Gurion archive, articles from periodical newspapers, and interviews with nurses and partners in the Israeli Medical Corps. Results During almost 70 years, Israeli military nursing’s main contribution was to the civilian hospitals. The return of nursing care to the IDF field units in recent years intended to supplement the medicine corps demands in field units by placing qualified academic nurses. Conclusions The removal of nursing care from the IDF field units was provided as a response to the needs of the health demands of the emerging state. Until 2018 there was no significant need for military nurses except in emergency time. This is in contrast to other military nursing units.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document