Challenges to Hegemonic Constructions of Militarized Masculinities in the Neoliberal Era: The Case of South Korea

Abstract

In South Korea, military conscription lies at the core of the construction of notions of manhood and gender order as a whole. In a divided country, the hegemonic meaning of military service as a crucial marker of adult manhood remained unquestioned. However, since the implementation of full-blown neoliberalism, there has been a shift in societal gender norms and this in turn has changed the way in which militarized masculinities are constructed and enacted at the individual level. Drawn from qualitative interviews with South Korean former conscripts, this article examines the tension between militarized and neoliberal masculine ideals and how hegemonic constructions of militarized masculinities are challenged in it.