Women in the military and their relationship with war often provoke controversial reactions that reveal entrenched stereotypes and cultural values central to many societies. This is the first comparative, cross-national study of the participation of women in the armed forces of NATO countries.

Helena Carreiras is professor at the department of sociology of the University Institute for Labor, Business and Technologies (ISCTE) and researcher at the Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES) in Lisbon. Her research interests include armed forces and society, gender issues and methodology of the social sciences. She has published Mulheres nas Forças Armadas Portuguesas (Women in the Portuguese Armed Forces) (1997) and Mulheres em Armas. A Participação Militar Feminina na Europa do Sul (Women in Arms. The Military Participation of Women in Southern Europe) (2002).

Introduction 1. Women in the Military: A Global Overview 2. Gender Relations, Gendered Organizations and the Military 3. Social and Political Dilemmas of Women's Military Service 4. The Military Institution and Social Change 5. Gender Integration in the Armed Forces: A Cross-National Comparison of Policies and Practices in the NATO Countries 6. Portugal and the Netherlands: Military and Social Contexts 7. Interpersonal Dynamics of Gender Integration: The Case of the Officer Corps Concluding Remarks Conclusion Appendices Bibliography Index