5th ISA Forum of Sociology (6-11 July 2025)

Man's influence on the earth also takes place through military conflicts, which have accompanied him incessantly since the beginning of mankind, albeit to varying degrees and in different places. The organisation of an army is therefore an essential feature of a state. In an era where most nations rely on professional armies or selective compulsory services, the military serves primarily as a deterrent force, investing heavily in equipment and human capital with the hope that it will never be fully deployed. This session seeks to explore the overlaps and spill-over effects between military and civilian education systems, focusing on the transferability of skills and competencies acquired within the military to the civilian sector. Understanding these spill-over effects is crucial for justifying investments in the military during times of peace, as they can significantly benefit the civilian labor market. We are interested in examining how professional military education (PME) programs are designed to facilitate this transition and what specific skills are most effectively transferred to civilian contexts.

We invite submissions of scientific papers that address the following research question: How do military education and training pathways contribute to civilian occupations and skills development across different countries? Papers that provide a comparative perspective or detailed case studies from various nations are particularly welcome.