The Management of Ethnic-Cultural Diversity in Western Armed Forces

Abstract

In the history of humanity, equality in society based on factors of diversity (i.e. race, color, religion) has often been limited because of discrimination and conflict. In more modern times we have witnessed a decline in societal barriers to diversity, due not only to greater recognition of fundamental human rights, but also to an appreciation of the value that diversity affords civil life. What has become possible for civil society with regard to being more inclusive also affects recruitment into the Armed Forces of the most important countries of Western culture. As an integral part of society, the diversification of Armed Forces contributes to the recognition, development and integration of disparate elements of the greater society. The management of diversity within the Armed Forces is identical to that which occurs within the whole society, whose composition is subject to continuous change. Examples of this socializing in the most important Western Armed Forces: the integration of minorities in the U.S. Army; the Gurkhas in the British Armed Forces; the French Armed Forces and Foreign Legion integration; and implications of managing ethnic-cultural diversity for Italian Armed Forces.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 20, 2012
Accession Number
ADA561552

Entities

People

  • Raffaele Ferrillo

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Cultural Diversity
  • Demography
  • Discrimination
  • Employment
  • Ethnic Groups
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Personnel
  • Minority Groups
  • Personnel Management
  • Religion
  • Second World War
  • Societies
  • Sociology
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.
  • Systems Analysis and Design