The Impact of Social Dynamics on Employment in the Slovenian Army and Assessment of Patriotism

The authors deal with the impact of migration, demographic and ethnic dynamics on employment in the Slovenian Army in connection with the contemporary dimensions of patriotism. The authors argue that the Slovenian Army as an employment organization is not prepared to adapt to contemporary social change, and is fostering traditional social values as army values. These are incongruent with contemporary social values among Slovenian youth. In their discussion the authors refer to the employment policy of the Slovenian Army that restricts the employment of immigrants/residents in Slovenia without Slovenian citizenship and people with dual citizenship on the basis of patriotism. Therefore, they put the so-called military values and especially patriotism under scrutiny. Conception of patriotism as authoritarian has a negative impact on the representative role of the Slovenian Armed Forces in Slovenian society, and in consequence also discredits its legitimacy. The negative role of the armed forces in Slovenian society is diminishing people’s interest in seeking employment in it.
KEY WORDS: migration, demography, values, patriotism, Slovenian Army