In this short video, The Graduate School highlights one such recent effort: “Popular Narratives and the Experience of War: A Veterans’ Public Forum and Writing Workshop.”
Video by Ilich Mejía
The April event included a panel discussion and group of writing workshops designed to empower veterans with storytelling strategies and examine the differences between their lived experience and common American conceptions of military service.
Coordinated by Davis Winkie, a doctoral student within the history department, and Paul Blom, a doctoral student within the English and comparative literature department, this event was open to the public.
Don Holmes, a doctoral student in English and comparative literature and a U.S. veteran, participated.
“As a veteran, this event was very interesting to me. Not often are veterans given the opportunity to talk about their experiences in a way that they can fully share moments of hardship or moments of joy.”
Event sponsors were The Graduate School and Humanities for the Public Good. Support was also provided by the College of Arts & Sciences (divisions of Fine Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences and Global Programs); Carolina Veterans Resource Center; English and comparative literature department; Curriculum in Peace, War and Defense; history department; and Center for the Study of the American South.
Winkie highlighted The Graduate School and other campus partners in helping to produce the event and said the collaboration was done “truly the Carolina way: everybody coming together behind a cause that is worthwhile for everyone.”