About John Armenta

John Armenta studies military veterans in the US and issues around masculinity and patriotism. He is currently working on a book project about VetBros.
John Armenta is a Lecturer in the Department of Communication at UC San Diego.

NBN Episodes hosted by John:

A.J. Bauer, "Making the Liberal Media: How Conservatives Built a Movement Against The Press" (Columbia UP, 2026)

March 18, 2026

Making the Liberal Media

A J Bauer
Hosted by John Armenta

In Making the Liberal Media: How Conservatives Built a Movement Against The Press (Columbia UP, 2026), A.J. Bauer examines the history of the idea of …

Jack Z. Bratich, "On Microfascism: Gender, War, and Death" (Common Notions, 2022)

December 28, 2025

On Microfascism

Jack Z. Bratich
Hosted by John Armenta

In On Microfascism: Gender, War, and Death (Common Notions, 2022) Dr. Jack Z. Bratich explores the cultural elements in American society that support …

John Bodnar, "Divided by Terror: American Patriotism after 9/11" (UNC Press, 2021)

November 22, 2025

Divided by Terror

John Bodnar
Hosted by John Armenta

September 11th, 2001 marked the beginning of the so-called war on terror, but the attacks of that day also re-ignited battles over the nature of Ameri…

Jason A. Higgins, "Prisoners After War: Veterans in the Age of Mass Incarceration" (U Massachusetts Press, 2024)

November 10, 2025

Prisoners After War

Jason A. Higgins
Hosted by John Armenta

In Prisoners after War: Veterans in the Age of Mass Incarceration (University of Mass. Press, 2024), Dr. Jason Higgins examines the connections betwee…

Bryon L. Garner, "Black Veteranality: Military Service and the Illusion of Inclusive Patriotism" (Routledge, 2025)

August 11, 2025

Black Veteranality

Bryon L. Garner
Hosted by John Armenta

Military service in the United States has long been associated with patriotism. But for Black veterans, this association with patriotism, love for cou…

Janet McIntosh, "Kill Talk: Language and Military Necropolitics" (Oxford UP, 2025)

July 9, 2025

Kill Talk

Janet McIntosh
Hosted by John Armenta

Even casual observers of the military will notice the unique ways that service members use language. With all of the acronyms and jargon, some even ar…

Myra Mendible, "American War Stories: Veteran-Writers and the Politics of Memoir" (University of Massachusetts Press, 2021)

June 10, 2025

American War Stories

Myra Mendible
Hosted by John Armenta

Even with the availability of new forms of storytelling, the memoir remains as one of the favored ways for combat veterans to tell their stories about…

Michael D. Gambone, "The New Praetorians: American Veterans, Society, and Service from Vietnam to the Forever War" (U Massachusetts Press, 2021)

May 31, 2025

The New Praetorians

Michael D. Gambone
Hosted by John Armenta

Contemporary veterans belong to an exclusive American group. Celebrated by most of the country, they are nevertheless often poorly understood by the s…

Joseph Darda, "How White Men Won the Culture Wars" (U California Press, 2021)

May 25, 2025

How White Men Won the Culture Wars

Joseph Darda
Hosted by John Armenta

Domestic politics during the US war in Vietnam are often noted for the extreme divisions between Right and Left, between doves and hawks, and between …

Cynthia Enloe, "Twelve Feminist Lessons of War" (U California Press, 2023)

May 4, 2025

Twelve Feminist Lessons of War

Cynthia Enloe
Hosted by John Armenta

Women's wars are not men's wars. This is the first lesson of Cynthias Enloe’s Twelve Feminist Lessons of War (U California Press, 2023): the lack of a…

Benjamin Schrader, "Fight to Live, Live to Fight Veteran Activism after War: Veteran Activism after War" (SUNY Press, 2019)

May 2, 2025

Fight to Live, Live to Fight Veteran Activism after War

Benjamin Schrader
Hosted by John Armenta

While veterans are often talked about, in Fight to Live, Live to Fight Veteran Activism after War: Veteran Activism after War (SUNY Press, 2019), Dr. …