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Composing the War: Nation and Self in Narratives Of COMPOSING THE WAR: NATION AND SELF IN NARRATIVES OF THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE’S DEPLOYMENT TO THE 1991 GULF CONFLICT A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Anthropology in the University of Canterbury by Nina J. Harding University of Canterbury 2008 Dedicated to the men of 40 Squadron who served in the Gulf Table of Contents Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................. 1 Abstract.............................................................................................................................. 2 Chapter 1 ........................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction: Stories......................................................................................................... 4 Making War Stories ........................................................................................................ 9 The Narration of Nationhood........................................................................................ 14 The Narration of Subjectivity ....................................................................................... 15 Visual Narratives ...................................................................................................... 20 Differences in Personal Narrative Genres................................................................. 21 The Mutual Narration of Nationhood and Subjectivity ................................................ 23 Chapter Outline............................................................................................................. 29 Chapter 2 ......................................................................................................................... 30 War Stories...................................................................................................................... 30 Summary....................................................................................................................... 36 Chapter 3 ......................................................................................................................... 38 New Zealand War Stories: ............................................................................................. 38 National Identity and Kiwi Subjectivities..................................................................... 38 New Zealand’s Baptism of Fire: The Martial Nation ................................................... 39 The Anzac Spirit ....................................................................................................... 41 Military Prowess/Superiority:............................................................................... 42 Self-Control: ......................................................................................................... 43 Egalitarianism: ...................................................................................................... 43 Mateship:............................................................................................................... 47 Ingenuity: .............................................................................................................. 48 Larrikinism:........................................................................................................... 49 The Anzac Spirit and New Zealand Masculinity...................................................... 50 A Civilian War Myth (or, No one Deserves More Glory than Anyone Else) .......... 53 Narrating the “Ordinary” Man.................................................................................. 61 New Zealand’s Display of Self-Determination: the Nuclear-Free, Peacekeeping Nation ....................................................................................................................................... 67 Summary....................................................................................................................... 77 Chapter 4 ......................................................................................................................... 79 Stories about 40 Squadron in the Gulf: ........................................................................ 79 Representatives of New Zealand on the International Stage ............................................ 79 Narratives told through the Anzac Discourse ............................................................... 80 Narratives told through the Peacekeeping Discourse ................................................... 85 Narratives that draw on both Anzac and Peacekeeping Discourses ............................. 88 Summary....................................................................................................................... 97 Chapter 5 ......................................................................................................................... 99 Western Veteran Stories of the 1991 Persian Gulf War: ............................................ 99 The Career Discourse ..................................................................................................... 99 Summary..................................................................................................................... 111 Chapter 6 ....................................................................................................................... 112 The War Stories of 40 Squadron................................................................................. 112 The Gulf War was a War, Don’t Listen to the Government....................................... 112 Rob’s War Story ..................................................................................................... 113 Steps in a Career ................................................................................................. 113 The Next Step ..................................................................................................... 116 The Next Step Threatened: Public Discourses.................................................... 117 The Next Step Threatened: Tension in Rob’s Narrative..................................... 120 Narrating the Next Step ...................................................................................... 125 Sam’s War Story..................................................................................................... 127 Summary................................................................................................................. 134 The Gulf War was a War ............................................................................................ 135 Dennis’ War Story .................................................................................................. 140 An Opportunity to Really Test your Worth ........................................................ 140 Strategy One: The Anzac Spirit .......................................................................... 145 Strategy Two: Narrating himself into the Gulf War ........................................... 148 Stephen’s War Story ............................................................................................... 153 Summary................................................................................................................. 162 The Gulf War was a Holiday ...................................................................................... 163 Brian’s War Story ................................................................................................... 164 Eric’s War Story ..................................................................................................... 174 We Just had a Ball............................................................................................... 174 The First Experience........................................................................................... 175 An Anzac Character............................................................................................ 179 Geoff’s War Story................................................................................................... 182 Summary................................................................................................................. 186 Chapter Six Summary................................................................................................. 187 Chapter 7 ....................................................................................................................... 189 Visual Stories:................................................................................................................ 189 40 Squadron’s Gulf War Photo Albums..................................................................... 189 Posed Pictures ............................................................................................................. 190 Candid Pictures ........................................................................................................... 198 Summary..................................................................................................................... 209 Chapter 8 ....................................................................................................................... 210 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 210 Appendix:
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