Advancing an understanding of the body amid transition from a military life

In: Grimell , J M & van den Berg , M 2020 , ' Advancing an understanding of the body amid transition from a military life ' , Culture and Psychology , vol. 26 , no. 2 , pp. 187-210 . https://doi.org/10.1177/1354067X19861054

Abstract

In this article, we explore the process of transitions from a military life to a civilian life. Making use of the concepts offered by Dialogical Self Theory, we explore how individuals negotiate the acquisition of new, civilian identities by integrating different, sometimes conflicting, cultural I-positions. Moreover, in this article, we explore how this narrative process is reflected through embodied processes of becoming civilian. We do so by presenting an in-depth analysis of two case studies: that of former Lieutenant Peter, who fully transitions to civilian life, and of Sergeant Emma, who opts for a hybrid outcome, combining a civilian job with working as an instructor in the military. We will argue that the narrative and embodied process of transition are intertwined in self-identity work, and that attention to the specifics of this entanglement can be useful for professionals who counsel military personnel who transition to civilian life.