This 25th-anniversary reissue of the groundbreaking and original collection explores the unique experiences of children raised in military and organizational families, offering unprecedented insights into their development, challenges, and remarkable resilience. Drawing on decades of research, the book illuminates the lives of military brats, Third Culture Kids, global nomads, missionary kids, and international business kids-children who grow up mobile and in (sub)cultures different from their parents, where many develop a unique ""third culture"" identity. The volume is thoughtfully organized into two distinct parts: Part I explores the experiences of children, adolescents, and adults who grew up in military families, both domestically and internationally from Michelle Kelley's opening chapter that examines the impact of military deployment on both parents and children, offering novel comparative insights into the experiences of deployed fathers and mothers to Morten Ender and LisaMarie Liebnow Mariglia presenting their independent studies on American adult children from military families. Part II broadens the scope to include children raised in other organizational families, such as foreign service and missionary families, from children's literature by Annika Hylmö to studies by Kathleen Finn Jordon and Ann Baker Cottrell, both former students of preeminent Third Culture Kid scholar Dr. Ruth Hill Useem.
The research presented is methodologically diverse, employing qualitative and quantitative approaches to capture the multifaceted dimensions of the subjects' experiences. The contributors not only analyze challenges but also offer practical recommendations for families, policymakers, and service providers. This volume highlights remarkable success stories, including the exemplary US military childcare system, which serves 200,000 children worldwide and is described as ""a model for the nation."" Additionally, the impressive academic achievements of Department of Defense Schools students are noted, as they outperform their civilian peers in writing scores and college attendance rates, particularly among students of color. Military sociologist Morten Ender offers a new, fresh, approachable, and candid introduction to the making of the book and the state of the field. This collection stands as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of children raised in organizational settings. The entire volume acknowledges their unique socialization experiences while celebrating the networks and communities they form with others who share similar backgrounds. The book builds upon the pioneering work of sociologists Ruth Hill Useem and John Useem, who developed the concept of the ""Third Culture Kid"" in the 1960s, and studies of military children emerging following World War II, continuing the rich tradition of research that has blossomed in university settings. For parents raising children in mobile lifestyles, educators working with these unique populations, policymakers shaping programs for organizational families, or adult TCKs and military-raised people seeking to understand their own experiences, Military Brats offers invaluable insights, practical guidance, and a profound sense of recognition and belonging. Discover the hidden world of military brats, organization kids, and overseas living - a world of challenges and triumphs, constant adaptation and remarkable resilience, unique perspectives, and global mindsets that may just hold the key to thriving in our increasingly interconnected world.
