Solving the problem of men and masculinities in the private military and security industry

Paul Higate

Chapter 37 in Handbook on Gender in World Politics, 2026, pp 244-250 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter examines the rapidly expanding Private Military and Security Company (PMSC) industry through a gender-sensitive lens. It argues that mainstream scholarship has largely ignored the complex gender dynamics that shape this masculinized field. The analysis moves beyond a simple focus on women to explore intra-gender relations, highlighting a hierarchy of militarized masculinities. This ranges from the “hypermasculine” Western contractor to the subordinate, racialized masculinity of personnel from the Global South. Drawing on critical men's studies, the author's work reveals how national and racial identities are performed and embodied by armed contractors, shaping security on the ground. The chapter also critiques the PMSC industry's superficial attempts at gender mainstreaming and self-regulation, such as the International Code of Conduct. It concludes that most gender-focused scholarship remains in a “problem-solving” mode, legitimizing the industry rather than fundamentally challenging the privatization of violence and its deep-seated gendered logics.

Keywords: Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs); Masculinity; Gender; Privatized Security; Critical Security Studies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781803923765
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