Socialization of Conscripts from a Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

Purpose – The aim of this chapter is to explain peculiarities of socialization of conscripts through the theoretical framework of symbolic interactionism.Methodology/approach – The process of socialization of conscripts is considered as a combination of elements of primary and secondary socialization. These elements are defined on the basis of theoretical ideas of Cooley, Mead, Berger, and Luckmann. The potential of this approach is examined by taking the Russian armed forces as a case study.Findings – Socialization of conscripts is mostly secondary (professional) socialization. But in some countries (with conscription), it includes many elements of primary socialization. In these cases, the army can become a total institution for the conscript inmates.