The Gendered and Colonial Lives of Gurkhas in Private Security: From Military to Market

This book explores the ways in which affect, colonial histories, and militarism organize global security workforces within private military and security companies (PMSCs). It focuses on Gurkhas, a group of militarized men from Nepal with over 200-years of military experience who now participate as security contractors in global markets. The book offers empirically rich ethnographic insights into militarized communities outside the global North and provides feminist political economy insights into how labor is organized and sustained through global security regimes. Drawing upon 180 detailed interviews and three years of ethnographic fieldwork in Nepal and Kabul, Afghanistan, the book highlights the exploitative relations that draw Gurkhas and their families into these markets.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 31 December 2022
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

This book explores the ways in which affect, colonial histories, and militarism organize global security workforces within private military and security companies (PMSCs). It locates its analysis with Gurkhas; a group of militarized men from Nepal with over 200-years of military experience with the British and Indian armies and the Singaporean police, who now participate as security contractors in global markets. These men are celebrated in British popular culture for their heroic martial attributes and their broader military service to the United Kingdom. However, less known, is the fact that many Gurkhas located back in Nepal and their families are drawn into these markets under often exploitative relations. Drawing upon over a decade of ethnographic fieldwork with unprecedented access to these security communities throughout Nepal and in Afghanistan, the book's motivating questions are how security is made through these market relations and how is this security experienced by Gurkhas and their families.

The book begins by situating the Gurkhas within the broader context of global security workforces. It explores how the legacies of colonialism and militarism shape the ways in which these men are recruited, trained, and deployed in global security markets. It also examines the ways in which these men's military experiences are translated into marketable skills and qualifications, which are in high demand by PMSCs. The book then turns to an in-depth analysis of the experiences of Gurkhas and their families in these markets. It explores how these men are subjected to various forms of exploitation, including low pay, long hours, and hazardous working conditions. It also examines how these men's families are impacted by their participation in these markets, including the social and economic consequences of their deployment.

The book offers feminist political economy insights into how labour is organized and sustained through global security regimes. It argues that the gendered and racialized hierarchies that exist within these regimes are reproduced through the practices of PMSCs. It also explores how these regimes are shaped by the broader political and economic structures of the global North. The book draws upon 180 detailed interviews and three years of ethnographic fieldwork in Nepal and Kabul, Afghanistan. The interviews were conducted with a range of stakeholders, including Gurkhas, their families, PMSCs, government officials, and community leaders. The fieldwork was conducted in a variety of settings, including military bases, training centers, and communities affected by conflict.

Overall, this book provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the ways in which affect, colonial histories, and militarism organize global security workforces within private military and security companies. It offers valuable insights into the experiences of Gurkhas and their families, as well as into the broader political and economic structures that shape these markets. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complex and multifaceted relationships between security, militarism, and global power.

Weight: 502g
Dimension: 162 x 241 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399501156