Introduction
Lorraine Bayard de Volo’s article, “Unmanned? Gender Recalibrations and the Rise of Drone Warfare” (2016), presents an interesting critique of drone warfare through a gendered lens. As such, this review of Bayard de Volo’s article will argue that although the article properly identifies the background and addresses the importance of the rising significance of drone warfare and its effect on the dynamic of gender and politics, she fails to explicitly address her assumption of drone warfare based solely on the use of examining American drone warfare. This review will first begin by summarizing Bayard de Volo’s argument before contextualizing her article within the course content. Then, this review will highlight the strengths before …show more content…
Her paper explores the effects of gender on the emergence of drone warfare. In particular, she uses the feminist international relations lens to analyze the individual and state level of how American drone warfare challenges the status quo regarding gender, militarization, and war. To this end, she argues that, compared to traditional armed combatants, drone warfare does not confer traditional views of masculinity as effectively. As a result, the rise of drone warfare challenges the traditional relationship between military-masculinity. However, Bayard de Volo predicts that the “gender recalibration” will continue to take place since drone operators are high in demand despite their low status, so there will be an adjustment to the hierarchy of the military-masculinity.
Bayard de Volo’s (2016) methodological approach entails using the feminist international relations lens to several major pieces of evidence, including examining the nature of drone warfare, and a transcription between a drone crew on the 2010 US attack in central Afghanistan that killed 23 civilians. Using gender and the feminist international relations lens to understand the implications of war and gender relations, her analysis focuses on the shift of meanings about masculinity, militarization, and war at the state and individual level of …show more content…
However, drone warfare renders these irrelevant as drone pilots safely operate at low-risk and technology-based contact, thus compromising courage and strength Although fear may be suppressed due to drone warfare at-distance style combat, she is careful to point out the emotional trauma that drone operators nevertheless face. By demonstrating how these military-masculine traits are less relevant in drone warfare, she goes on to argue that drone warfare consequently unsettles the traditional nature of military-masculine. Primarily, the contentious nature of the proposed Distinguished Warfare Medal to reward drone operators’ achievements reveal the struggle to accept drone pilots as a hero despite their perceived lack of “valor at personal risk” (Bayard de Volo, 2016, p. 60). In other words, Bayard de Volo argues that this clash between ideals of military-masculinity yet demand for drone pilots would lead to gender-recalibration in the
Lorraine Bayard de Volo’s article, “Unmanned? Gender Recalibrations and the Rise of Drone Warfare” (2016), presents an interesting critique of drone warfare through a gendered lens. As such, this review of Bayard de Volo’s article will argue that although the article properly identifies the background and addresses the importance of the rising significance of drone warfare and its effect on the dynamic of gender and politics, she fails to explicitly address her assumption of drone warfare based solely on the use of examining American drone warfare. This review will first begin by summarizing Bayard de Volo’s argument before contextualizing her article within the course content. Then, this review will highlight the strengths before …show more content…
Her paper explores the effects of gender on the emergence of drone warfare. In particular, she uses the feminist international relations lens to analyze the individual and state level of how American drone warfare challenges the status quo regarding gender, militarization, and war. To this end, she argues that, compared to traditional armed combatants, drone warfare does not confer traditional views of masculinity as effectively. As a result, the rise of drone warfare challenges the traditional relationship between military-masculinity. However, Bayard de Volo predicts that the “gender recalibration” will continue to take place since drone operators are high in demand despite their low status, so there will be an adjustment to the hierarchy of the military-masculinity.
Bayard de Volo’s (2016) methodological approach entails using the feminist international relations lens to several major pieces of evidence, including examining the nature of drone warfare, and a transcription between a drone crew on the 2010 US attack in central Afghanistan that killed 23 civilians. Using gender and the feminist international relations lens to understand the implications of war and gender relations, her analysis focuses on the shift of meanings about masculinity, militarization, and war at the state and individual level of …show more content…
However, drone warfare renders these irrelevant as drone pilots safely operate at low-risk and technology-based contact, thus compromising courage and strength Although fear may be suppressed due to drone warfare at-distance style combat, she is careful to point out the emotional trauma that drone operators nevertheless face. By demonstrating how these military-masculine traits are less relevant in drone warfare, she goes on to argue that drone warfare consequently unsettles the traditional nature of military-masculine. Primarily, the contentious nature of the proposed Distinguished Warfare Medal to reward drone operators’ achievements reveal the struggle to accept drone pilots as a hero despite their perceived lack of “valor at personal risk” (Bayard de Volo, 2016, p. 60). In other words, Bayard de Volo argues that this clash between ideals of military-masculinity yet demand for drone pilots would lead to gender-recalibration in the