Christian Bueger gave a presentation as part of the AIA Fellow Colloquium. He began by providing an overview of his research interests and discussed how his research profile has evolved over time. He then focused specifically on one of his current projects, which centers on multi-national military gatherings (MMGs). Based on various invitations to such meetings that he has received over the years as an expert, he developed the idea of making this a separate research topic through autoethnographic reflections and sociological observations.

MMGs refer to regular meetings between military personnel from at least three states. Such meetings are characterized by ritualized practices and informal rules from which much can be inferred. From a macro perspective, valuable insights into the mechanisms of international politics can be gained. According to Christian Bueger’s observations, military personnel in particular are not passive tools of states, but rather relatively autonomous actors who actively contribute to the establishment (“ordering”) of international order through everyday, often informal international interactions (e.g., exercises, symposia, training, information exchange). It is precisely these events that create networks and trust and can have a stabilizing effect even in times of geopolitical tension.

The practice of transnational military cooperation has so far been relatively under-researched, particularly from a theory-driven perspective. In the subsequent discussion with the fellows, topics such as the role of the arms industry in such meetings and the lack of media coverage of these meetings to date were discussed. In addition, fellows also exchanged views on issues of research ethics and methodology, including the role of the participant-observer, which also plays an important role in many other fellow projects.