Abstract Multi-national military gatherings are important sites of international interaction. High-level military officials meet on a regular basis in different configurations, and a carefully orchestrated global calendar coordinates these events. States build, maintain and strengthen diplomatic, organizational and interpersonal relations at these events. This article argues that understanding the logic and global political functions of such gatherings requires a study from the inside. Zooming in on naval symposiums, I present the results from participant observations obtained in attending fifteen such meetings. I show how these gatherings have a common structure and are driven by symbolic content and ritualized actions, such as gift exchanges, the celebration of food and culture, and the repetition of narratives. I conclude that gatherings have an important role in facilitating transnational (maritime) security communities.
Christian Bueger (Thu,) studied this question.