CIR Seminar

The Diverse Experiences of Military Spouses: From Their Own Words 

Join us as Dr. Marina Cunin presents an overview of her research on military spouses and their various experiences. Based on individual and group interviews, as well as using traditional fieldwork methods, the research highlights the diversity of groups within that particular population and explores definitions of ‘military spouse’through the words of spouses themselves. It is suggested that these two areas are particularly significant when considering policies and services aimed at providing assistance for the array of issues affecting the military spouse community. 1.5 CEUs for LCSWs & LMFTs.

Dr. Marina Mia Cunin is from London, England. She earned a Bachelor's in humanities from Middlesex University, a master's in women’s studies from the University of Bradford, and a law degree from Manchester Metropolitan University. Her research at that time primarily focused on the experiences of low-paid workers and her publications specifically highlighted employment experiences among nurses of color in the British health system.

In the mid-90s, she moved to Japan to teach Sociology and Women’s Studies and began her doctoral fieldwork on student culture and Japanese students’ perceptions of their university experience. After being awarded her PhD in Social-Anthropology from the University of Kent, she explored return migration issues, in particular, documenting the social-cultural experiences of British-born Caribbean returnees.

Her current research interest concerns the military community. In Japan, she interviewed several service personnel about their individual experiences of being posted there, focusing on factors such as cultural adjustment, and ethnic and gendered identity. In the US, she expanded her research to the military spouse population documenting experiences they deem significant to their military spouse identity. A military spouse herself, she hopes her fieldwork will contribute to the increasing awareness of the diversity of this community.