Book Review: Tribe by Sebastian Junger

For our second spring read, our Bettering Communities Book Club read our seventh book - Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger.

Reactions to the Book

Our group largely did not enjoy this book, not because its concepts weren’t interesting, but it had a very male-centric voice, and we would have appreciated some women’s voices and perspectives within it. The book left us unsure whether there was any silver lining in the book or applications we could make of its content. We were united in our disappointment that we didn’t feel we could readily apply the takeaways in our leadership roles.

Community Cohesion in the Midst / Aftermath of Crisis

A major theme in the book is how communities come together (following tribal instincts) during times of crisis, whether they are manmade or natural, such as war or natural disasters. These events act as equalizers across class and socioeconomic strata, creating a strong sense of cohesion and a tight-knit community during these challenging incidents. Our group noted that the emphasis on unity during and after crises reminded them of the national unity demonstrated across the United States after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In the months following 9/11, patriotic sentiment surged in the United States, and trust in the federal government reached its highest level in three decades. Stories featured in the book highlighted the community solidarity in Bosnia in the early 1990s and even in London during the Second World War German blitzkrieg. It was interesting how this cross-social-class unity disintegrated almost immediately after a crisis concluded. In a time of record polarity and division in the United States, our group wondered if we’d ever reach the level of cohesion our society reached in 2001.

Differing Leadership Styles During Crises

One of the interesting features of the book was the introduction of the concept of dual leadership in tribal societies, most notably the Iroquois society. The Iroquois are known for their democratic society and women in leadership roles. In peacetimes, the clan mothers and sachems or “civil chiefs” focused on maintaining social order. The tribe would switch leadership entirely to military leaders in a leadership role with a focus on survival and wartime tactics. Many organizations rely on the same leaders in crisis and in good times, but it begs the question if different skills are needed during a crisis.

Many book club members have worked in local government, and we discussed the Incident Command System - a strictly hierarchical management model which is used during emergency responses, especially when there are multiple agencies involved. This model is helpful when there is one sole function in mind (emergency response) and provides a common language to allow emergency responders from different agencies to work together without duplicating effort.

Author Junger seemed to at first describe the peacetime leadership style as feminine, but shifted gears when noting that in a coal mine emergency where miners were trapped, both leadership styles or traditional gender roles emerged, even when only one gender was present. Some individuals naturally gravitated toward a crisis leadership model (managing resources, planning for the group, focusing on life safety) while others were more attuned to the emotional and psychological needs of the group.

Our group discussed (it was all women in attendance at this meeting) how, as women leaders, we struggle with how to embrace the role, and the spectrum of women-focused leadership models dominating thought leadership books and podcasts. It can be challenging to work as a woman in male-dominated spaces, as the leadership models that emerge can differ dramatically.

Reintegrating Military Members into Society

Another large theme of the book was the reintegration of military members into civilian society, and where the U.S. military’s rates of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and veterans claiming disability benefits were significantly higher than other countries. It seems that reintegration and familiarity with military experience are large determinants of how successful reintegration will work. Junger notes that PTSD rates in the U.S. are double those in the U.K. and that Israel, which has mandatory military service for men and women, has almost nonexistent PTSD. It seems that if military service is understood and there is a supportive community around returning service members, individuals feel less alienated and reintegrate more successfully.

Our group shared some of their own family experiences for military veterans and how it seems to differ largely based on generation and the political climate of the U.S. at the time of service. One interesting concept from the book was the idea of offering veterans “town hall” type forums where they could share whatever they wanted on an open floor.

In Summary

Our group did not resonate strongly with this book, but felt it had some interesting perspectives on gender roles in leadership and the positive cohesion that naturally emerges in the midst of and aftermath of a crisis. The final chapter of the book described “underscoring our shared humanity,” - which did resonate with us. How can we make an effort to connect with others authentically and find our commonalities, especially if it is with an individual who is unlike us? This may be a small part of returning to times of stronger social cohesion than the world we live in at present.

You can learn more about author Sebastian Junger and his books on his website.