Militarism in various forms dominates states all over the world, and its basic value of "power over the other" influences the population which begins to accept the suitability of violence as a method of resolving conflicts. Although war and the military are considered to be "men's work," armed conflict and the militarist ideology have had a great impact on women all over the world. A gender analysis of militarism is essential to both feminists and peace activists who are working towards a world free of all forms of violence, injustice and oppression. Military values contribute to the construction of narrow definitions of masculine and feminine characteristics and this should be addressed by feminists in search of an alternative society without rigid gender roles. Patriarchy is one of the roots of militarism, so a gender analysis is useful to peace activists, in order to challenge the basic ideology of militarism, rather than just addressing its effects. An examination of the effects of militarism on women in both peace and war time show that women do have a specific concern with militarism and war and therefore a large stake in working for peace.
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