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Project

Disability and the Great War: the re-education of disabled soldiers in Belgium, 1914-1940.

Inspired by the upcoming remembrance ceremonies which will be held to the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the First World War in 2014-2018 we would like to carry out a historical-pedagogical research project with regard to the rehabilitation of Belgian disabled soldiers of the Great War between 1914 and 1940. First of all, we would like to examine how the re-education of Belgian maimed soldiers took shape. By means of two study periods abroad we moreover would like to compare the Belgium re-education system with the divergent rehabilitation strategies installed by the French and English authorities. This comparison will be restricted to the rehabilitation of blinded soldiers. Secondly, we would like to trace the evolution of the societal status of those soldiers maimed by war during the Interwar period and see what juridical measures were taken in favor of them. Special attention will be devoted to the complex interactions of a professional rehabilitation discourse on the one hand and the emergence of a disabled identity on the other hand. Finally, we would like to examine whether the rehabilitation programs for disabled soldiers had any influence at all on the situation of disabled people in general in Belgium.
Date:1 Oct 2010 →  30 Sep 2013
Keywords:Belgian veterans, The Great War, Disability, Rehabilitation, Identity, Culture
Disciplines:History, Economic history, Public health services