Preoccupations During an Occupation: The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Civil War Diaries of Edmund Naylo

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the unpublished diaries of Union soldier Edmund Naylor using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), where the researcher attempted to perceive a person's felt experience and how they made meaning of that experience. Edmund described what inspired him and repelled him while interacting with others and the world during the occupation of enemy territory. By analyzing the distinctions drawn by Naylor, with consideration for broader social and cultural contexts, we can begin to understand what it was like for him to serve as part of an occupational force. The themes of God, Country, and Family emerged.;Naylor viewed the world through an Evangelical Christian lens, more sharply focused by the internal conflict the war had created. He believed that democracy was vital to protect for the sake of the world and that it was essential to show the world that a democratic society could successfully exist. Because of his experiences, he believed in class and race equality as well as the importance for all to have the same educational opportunities. In this dissertation, not only does one learn about Edmund and the past, but also learns about one's self, through self-reflection, as the reader shares in Edmund's preoccupation during an occupation.