“You haven’t gone out and done anything”: Exploring Disabled Veterans Experiences in Higher Education

Abstract

Through the analysis of 24 in-depth, semi-structured interviews, this study explored the process through which disability affects veterans’ experiences in the university classroom and their social relations with traditional students. Using inductive-exploratory qualitative methods, this study builds upon the sociological understanding of veterans’ experiences in higher education. Findings from this study tentatively suggest that while disability related fear/hypervigilance, stigma, and anxiety significantly impact veterans’ comfort levels when engaging with traditional students, veterans also externalize the impact of their disability as a social artifact of their military service. More research is needed to determine if the interaction of disability and artifacts of service decreases veterans’ ability to integrate well with traditional students in classroom settings.

Keywords

veterans sociology disability higher education military culture

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