On patriotism, patriots and patriotic values in conversations with adults with intellectual disabilities. Reflections on the margins of a particular master’s thesis

The presented paper refers to a student’s qualitative research conducted in the master’s thesis. It was devoted to a poorly recognized problem of patriotic values in adults with intellectual disabilities. It is therefore the more to be regretted that really methodical research on this problem is rarely undertaken, especially within the group of adults with moderate and severe intellectual disability. Thus, it has been found desirable to report the findings of a student’s study. Unfortunately, performing of this task was thwarted by a sudden and untimely death of a student, shortly after her final exams at the university. Being a supervisor of this particular master’s thesis, I decided to write a paper somehow in behalf of a student, but to show some excerpts from her results section in my own perspective and following my individual way. I intended to describe how adults with intellectual disability view and communicate meanings ascribed to patriots / being a patriot; how do they manage with the concept of patriotism and patriotic values. The issue appears especially important in the context of adults’ with intellectual disabilities access to social, employment and civic pursuits within active supporting their full inclusion and participation in social and civic life.

The presented paper refers to a student’s qualitative research conducted in the master’s thesis. It was devoted to a poorly recognized problem of patriotic values in adults with intellectual disabilities. It is therefore the more to be regretted that really methodical research on this problem is rarely undertaken, especially within the group of adults with moderate and severe intellectual disability. Thus, it has been found desirable to report the findings of a student’s study. Unfortunately, performing of this task was thwarted by a sudden and untimely death of a student, shortly after her final exams at the university. Being a supervisor of this particular master’s thesis, I decided to write a paper somehow in behalf of a student, but to show some excerpts from her results section in my own perspective and following my individual way. I intended to describe how adults with intellectual disability view and communicate meanings ascribed to patriots / being a patriot; how do they manage with the concept of patriotism and patriotic values. The issue appears especially important in the context of adults’ with intellectual disabilities access to social, employment and civic pursuits within active supporting their full inclusion and participation in social and civic life.