Military Spouses with Graduate Degrees

Interdisciplinary Approaches to Thriving amidst Uncertainty

Edited by Leandra Hinojosa Hernández and Jennifer N. Belding - Contributions by Jennifer N. Belding; Marcia Bouchard; Catherine Cole; Henri E. Cooper; Elise Dixon; Alissa E. Harrison; Leandra Hinojosa Hernández; Georgia Jones; Lindsey Lee; Annette Maldonado; Amy R. May; Victoria McDermott; Abby E. Murray; Michael Sollitto; Karen Tannenbaum; Beth Van Kan and Precious Vida Yamaguchi

With contributors in the fields of communication, psychology, English, law, and others, Navigating Life with a Graduate Degree as a Military Spouse: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Challenges, Lessons Learned, and Thriving amidst Uncertainty utilizes interdisciplinary theories, methods, and approaches to study the educational and career experiences of military spouses with advanced degrees.

The contributors to this volume analyze the challenges, struggles, and positive aspects of being a military spouse with an advanced degree in both academic and professional contexts. The chapters cover chronological approaches to academic and military identities; academic, professional, and military challenges; and strategies for enhancing academic, military, and professional life. This book expands and focuses on the unique challenges military spouses encounter while in graduate school and while transitioning out of graduate programs into academic and professional contexts, and provides a new resource for military and academic researchers, scholars, and practitioners.

Lexington Books

Pages: 292 • Trim: 6¼ x 9½

978-1-4985-8208-7 • Hardback • January 2019 • $117.00 • (£90.00)

978-1-4985-8209-4 • eBook • January 2019 • $111.00 • (£85.00)

Subjects: Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication Studies, Family & Relationships / Military Families

Military Spouses with Graduate Degrees

Interdisciplinary Approaches to Thriving amidst Uncertainty

Hardback

eBook

Summary

With contributors in the fields of communication, psychology, English, law, and others, Navigating Life with a Graduate Degree as a Military Spouse: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Challenges, Lessons Learned, and Thriving amidst Uncertainty utilizes interdisciplinary theories, methods, and approaches to study the educational and career experiences of military spouses with advanced degrees.

The contributors to this volume analyze the challenges, struggles, and positive aspects of being a military spouse with an advanced degree in both academic and professional contexts. The chapters cover chronological approaches to academic and military identities; academic, professional, and military challenges; and strategies for enhancing academic, military, and professional life. This book expands and focuses on the unique challenges military spouses encounter while in graduate school and while transitioning out of graduate programs into academic and professional contexts, and provides a new resource for military and academic researchers, scholars, and practitioners.

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 292 • Trim: 6¼ x 9½

978-1-4985-8208-7 • Hardback • January 2019 • $117.00 • (£90.00)

978-1-4985-8209-4 • eBook • January 2019 • $111.00 • (£85.00)

Subjects: Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication Studies, Family & Relationships / Military Families

Author

Jennifer N. Belding is independent scholar in social psychology.

Leandra H. Hernández is lecturer in the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication and Center for Mexican-American Studies at the University of Houston and adjunct faculty member in communication at National University and Trident University International.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Military Spouses with Advanced Degrees: Current Findings and Pathways Moving Forward

Leandra Hinojosa Hernández & Jennifer N. Belding

Chapter 1: Navigating Academic and Military Life: A Personal Journey

Marcia M. Bouchard

Chapter 2: Military Spouse Strategies for Navigating Academic and Personal Life: A Collaborative Autoethnographic Review of Post Graduate Pursuits

Alissa E. Harrison, Annette Maldonado, Beth van Kan, & Henri Cooper

Chapter 3: Cultural Collision: A Review of Literature

Amy May and Victoria McDermott

Chapter 4: Exploring Identity, Professionalism, and Patriotism within a Multicultural Military Relationship: Intimacy Overseas

Precious Yamaguchi

Chapter 5: Becoming Whole: Balancing Dual Identities as a Graduate Student Marine Wife

Elise Dixon

Chapter 6: Military Spouses’ Uncertainty Management: Navigating Academic Goals and Military Needs

Michael Sollitto and Catherine Cole

Chapter 7: Military Spouses, Advanced Degrees, and the Myth of Keeping Busy

Abby E. Murray

Chapter 8: Counsel for the Military Spouse: Law School, the Bar Exam, and Beyond

Katherine Lee Goyette

Chapter 9: Joining the Ranks: Considering Military Spouse Life as a Lesbian Graduate Student

Karen Tannenbaum

Chapter 10: Overcoming Obstacles: A Practical Guide to Meaningful Employment as a Military Spouse

Georgia K. Jones & Lindsey Lee

Chapter 11: Military Spouses with Advanced Degrees: A Unique Subpopulation to Study for the Science of Motivation and Goal Pursuit

Jennifer N. Belding

Chapter 12: ‘We Get It Done Because We Have To:’ Military Spouses with Advanced Degrees, Career and Educational Experiences, and Grit Amongst Uncertainty

Leandra Hinojosa Hernández

Chapter 13: Conclusion: Advice from the Trenches

Jennifer N. Belding & Leandra Hinojosa Hernández

Reviews

The book should be a must-read for colleges and universities that deal with military families. It should also be required reading for those in command positions at our nation's bases and forts, so that they have a better and clearer understanding of the true impact on families from deployments and moves. . . . The editors take a resource book with data and information and make it very readable and understandable by adding so many different voices and viewpoints presented. . . . Every military spouse should have access to this book and read it. I believe this book has a mission and purpose. I salute the editors for putting this all together in this volume.
— Military Writers Society of America

Military Spouses with Graduate Degrees: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Thriving Amidst Uncertainty is an excellent resource for anyone conducting research about military families, but certainly for those who are in the military and the people who are helping them. The collection reflects a range of topics and approaches, the contributors come from several disciplines, and they each make an important contribution to understanding the complexities of military life. I highly recommend the entire book.
— Erin Sahlstein Parcell, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee