Description
In Queer International Relations Cynthia Weber discusses the subjective logic of “and/or”, where things can be connected and disconnected simultaneously. This powerful idea draws out the contradictions, multiplicity and queerness of concepts in the political sphere. In this presentation, I demonstrate the relevance of the subjective “and/or” for the relationships between security and theology via the Military Chaplaincy. For, the Chaplain is the epitome of this relationship, being both a theological figure (a Priest, Imam, Rabbi, etc.) and a military asset. Yet, this is not reflected in the academic disciplines that support military chaplaincy – or security more broadly – leaving a gap in conceptualisation between security and theology in academia, and the ministry of the military chaplain and the military that she serves.
Particularly, I will explore this problem the context of technology in the future battlefield, where the challenges of technology demonstrate how security and theology go hand-in-hand, alongside the frictions that these disciplines cause each other. Using the Military Chaplain as a lens to see these contradicting connections more clearly. By doing this, I will demonstrate the interconnected and yet distinct place of theology in the practice and theory of security, and the place of security in the practice and theory of military chaplaincy. To more completely conceptualise these disciplines and their shared challenges.
