Increasingly recognized diversity in conscript service raises questions of equality and non-discrimination concerning organizing and carrying out training as well as conditions of everyday service life. This study examines how gendered experiences of service are shaped and what kinds of development needs are identified since Finland joined NATO. Diversity poses a challenge to developing service in a sustainable way.
Previous research indicates that group support and acceptance are significant factors in shaping perceptions of the service period and environment. For women, strong group support reduces the perception of gender as a disadvantage during service. Low group support is associated with experiences of unequal treatment and bullying among both women and men. Women with higher levels of education were more likely to experience low group support compared to those in the rank-and-file. (Leinonen, Otonkorpi-Lehtoranta & Nikkanen 2017; pp. 18, 20, 23) Negative treatment (discrimination, bullying, and harassment) is more commonly directed at women than men and is rarely reported to service authorities. Men tend not to disclose their experiences to anyone. (Leinonen, Otonkorpi-Lehtoranta & Nikkanen 2017, pp. 29–43)
We view service experiences as shaped by multiple social divisions simultaneously, even though gender remains central to our analysis. The research also seeks to identify issues related to the experiences of minorities, such as the finding that members of ethnic minority groups report more unequal treatment than those belonging to the majority population (Leinonen, Nikkanen & Otonkorpi-Lehtoranta 2018).
Our research questions are:
• How do conscripts perceive equality and unequal treatment during service?
• What kinds of experiences of discrimination, harassment, or exclusion occur, and how are these distributed across different social groups, including gender and minority status?
• How do interpersonal relationships and group dynamics influence perceptions of inclusion within the service environment?
The analysis is based on empirical survey data collected from conscripts and produces important knowledge on equality in conscript service. The project contributes to the Work Research Centre’s long-standing research tradition on the Finnish Defence Forces and the security sector.
Funding source
the Finnish Defence Forces
