Abstract

This chapter examines navigation and navigational routines as social and interactional activities in patrolling exercises in United Nations military observer (UNMO) training, showing how navigating is more than getting from point A to point B. The data come from two multinational MO courses where English is used as working language and lingua franca. By using navigation as an entry point to examine talk and interaction in patrol vehicles, this chapter illustrates how collaborative practices are created through performance of individual actions and their reiteration. Successful navigation provides anticipatory information for the team related to their route and position that can be used as a tool for making and reporting observations, and verbalises the location, thereby creating shared situational awareness. Navigation is also important for safety. The study offers insights on social and interactional activity in teamwork and the impact that team members’ actions have on collaborative work. The results can be utilised to further develop MO training, but they also benefit other simulated and practice-based training.