Description
This paper explores the concepts of militarization and militarism through the everyday experiences of five undergraduate students in International Relations at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. By analyzing their daily commute from home to university and back, the co-authors engage with militarism as a discourse that helps to both understand and unsettle the tensions and distinctions between civil/military, public/private, and peace/war. The study foregrounds how militarization is not limited to formal military structures but permeates urban spaces, security practices, and social interactions. Drawing from critical military studies, the article reflects on the embodied and spatialized dimensions of militarism, revealing its impact on the students' perceptions of safety, authority, and resistance. Lastly, we examine the university as a site of resistance, questioning how academic spaces can challenge militaristic and militarized logic and foster alternative imaginaries. Through this discussion, we contribute to broader debates on everyday militarization and the role of universities in shaping other narratives.
