“Becoming or Getting by”: Youths’ Inclination to Join a Military Career in Times of Crisis in Brazil
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Using novel data from a survey with 2,055 Brazilians (aged 16–26 years old), this article explores youth motives to voluntarily join military careers. Our results found that non-White men were more likely to enter the military. Economic affluence negatively influenced prospects for police careers while showing a non-significant positive effect on the armed forces. We also found that individuals with more conservative views and values are more likely to pursue roles in the military police or the armed forces. Interviewees with strong convictions about the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the job market also showed a higher likelihood of joining military careers. We interpret these findings in a context of extreme job insecurity and progressive militarization of Brazilian bureaucracy during Bolsonaro’s administration (2018–2022). This study offers new evidence of youths’ inclination to pursue a military career.
Source: Armed Forces & Society
Institutions: King's College London, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Estudos Avançados da Universidade de São Paulo, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris, Centre d'études Européennes de Sciences Po
Language: English
Topic: Military and Defense Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,650
Award: G8702811258
OpenAlex ID: W4414765659