Publication
The mercenary concepts conditions of possibility: effeminacy, modernity and the international
In this article, Malte Riemann examines the evolution of the mercenary concept. He suggests that notion of mercenary emerged in 19th-century Europe, contrary to the prevailing belief that mercenaries vanished during this period.
- Author
- Malte Riemann
- Date
- 16 December 2024
- Links
- Read the full article here
Riemann highlights the conceptual ambiguity between 'soldier' and 'mercenary' before the 19th century, noting that the distinction between these roles was not clearly defined. Drawing on Michel Foucault's work, Riemann explores how shifts in knowledge and the formation of the modern subject, grounded in the modern state, influenced this transformation. He also delves into 19th-century discourses on 'effeminacy' and the formation of the social, revealing how the mercenary was perceived as a threat to the bond between man and state, challenging the masculine principles underpinning this relationship.
Riemann's analysis provides a nuanced understanding of how the mercenary concept emerged alongside modern statehood, shedding light on the interplay between military roles, gender perceptions, and state formation in 19th-century Europe.