Mothers of the Military: Support and Politics During Wartime

Christensen, an associate professor of sociology at William Paterson University, has produced an illuminating study of the “journey of change” undertaken by mothers when their adult children join the military “and what impact it has on engagement in the political process.” The first two chapters show how military recruitment campaigns aim to cultivate mothers’ support by convincing them the armed forces will provide their children with excellent educational and professional benefits. The middle two chapters concentrate on how mothers demonstrate support while their children serve in war zones. Most support, Christensen explains, is coordinated through online communities that strive to remain apolitical about wars that have become increasingly politicized; often, prowar rhetoric is considered apolitical, but antiwar posts are deemed political and inappropriate. The final chapters follow mothers through the postdeployment period, when their support centers on caregiving as they deal with their children’s PTSD or physical wounds, and activism surrounding healthcare for veterans leads to public criticism of the military. Christensen’s book will attract sociologists as well as anyone interested in the fight against terrorism. (Aug.)