Spaces and Societal Interactions: Foundations of the Critical Disabled Cultural Lens of a Child of Disabled Adults

Authors

Amelia-Marie Altstadt, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Stephanie Bondi

Date of this Version

Summer 7-29-2021

Document Type

Article

Citation

Altstadt, A-M. K. (2021). Spaces and Societal Interactions: Foundations of the Critical Disabled Cultural Lens of a Child of Disabled Adults [Master's thesis]. University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Comments

A THESIS Presented To The Faculty Of The Graduate College At The University Of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Arts, Major: Educational Administration, Under the Supervision of Professor Stephanie Bondi. Lincoln, Nebraska: July, 2021

Copyright © 2021 Amelia-Marie K. Altstadt

Abstract

CoDisA are present on our campuses, but not present within research. This autoethnographic study focuses on providing the foundation of the critical disabled cultural lens of a Child of Disabled Adults (CoDisA) for future study of CoDisA within higher education research. The findings of spaces and societal interactions are presented through the accessible format of autoethnodrama. This two act show is a fun and immersive way to take you on a college tour trip “up the 5," from San Diego, California to Rohnert Park, California in Sonoma County. Act 1, the findings chapter with thorough scene descriptions, helps frame where the general findings of spaces and societal interactions take place. The scenes themselves feature rich, descriptive findings of kindness not always being kind, forced intimacy, stigma, and the ways physical space made me feel at home or like a stranger due to my cultural foundations. Act 2, our discussion chapter, then creates dialogue between the characters of Young, Teen, and Adult Amelia-Marie, and audience members: a student affairs professional and a researcher.

This chapter, styled like a theatre talkback, addresses how this study compliments and contrasts existing literature, the recommendations of practice, one example being using identity-first language, and recommendations for research, one example being further investigation of disabled culture present on campuses.

Advisor: Stephanie Bondi