New Books in Sociology

Benjamin Schrader, "Fight to Live, Live to Fight Veteran Activism after War: Veteran Activism after War" (SUNY Press, 2019)

May 7, 2025
Benjamin Schrader, Director of Adult Learner and Veteran Services at Colorado State University and author, shares powerful insights on veteran activism. He redefines the narrative around veterans, portraying them not as victims but as active agents of change. The conversation explores their transitions from military service to social justice, addressing issues like antiwar organizing and economic justice. Schrader emphasizes the critical need for veterans to reshape notions of patriotism and the importance of telling their own stories in the journey toward healing and activism.
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INSIGHT

Veterans as Subjects, Not Objects

  • Veterans are often treated as objects with medicalized labels rather than active knowledge producers.
  • Treating veterans as subjects engages their voices in understanding and activism about their experiences.
ANECDOTE

Military Service to Anti-War Activism

  • Benjamin Schrader describes his military service as a cavalry scout and initial excitement turning to disillusionment during Iraq deployment.
  • He realized the war was not about helping people but about profit for corporations, deepening his anti-war stance.
ANECDOTE

IVAW DNC Protest Organizing

  • Schrader recalls organizing major protests with Iraq Veterans Against the War around the 2008 DNC with Rage Against the Machine.
  • They faced police pushback and negotiated protest routes, culminating in impactful veteran-led standoffs.
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