Learning to own professional practice through character – The case of the junior British Army officer

ABSTRACT

Using a theoretical framework combining the sociological concept of habitus and virtue ethics philosophy the article analyses 39 interviews with junior British Army officers and cadets to explore moral character development in the early years. Overall, with a focus on moral character, the article asks how these junior Army officers are exploring their own way in the practice in a complex and protracted process of learning and socialization. Once the officers have developed characters in synergy with the professional practice and its values this process may be described as owning professional practice. A premium is placed on practice experience which needs to be maximized for moral learning. Two assets are found among the sample for doing this: humility and a desire for close contact with experienced officers. It is further argued that once the practice is owned in the ways suggested, it can be ethically advanced through character.

KEYWORDS:

• Ethics
• virtue
• profession
• character
• army
• moral

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, at the University of Birmingham, UK, for making this research possible and especially to professors James Arthur and Steve Thoma. I am also appreciative for valuable feedback on the original manuscript from four reviewers and the editor.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Numbers depict case numbers—see Table 1 for more information.

2. Colour of beret is a term used here to refer to different corps or regiments whose members wear specific kinds of headdress.

3. Some details are deliberately vague to protect identities.

Additional information

Funding

The original research was funded by the John Templeton Foundation, 2015, No. 39932, Service Britain.

Notes on contributors

David Ian Walker

David Ian Walker is Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Studies at the University of Alabama. He is also Director of the Center for the Study of Ethical Development. Dr. Walker’s research focuses on moral and character development and education.