Vulnerable but strong: Deaf people challenge established understandings of deafness

Background: In the last 35 years, hearing majorities have, in variable degree, gradually recognized that deaf people can be strong and able and a common knowledge of deaf people as linguistic minorities is partly embraced in public life. This is by and large a result of a long-time deaf struggle for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scandinavian journal of public health 2005-10, Vol.66 (66_suppl), p.18-23
Main Author: BREIVIK, JAN-KÅRE
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Attitude to Health
Communication
Deaf
Deafness - psychology
Deafness - rehabilitation
Empowerment
Humans
Male
Narration
Narratives
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Persons With Hearing Impairments - psychology
Persons With Hearing Impairments - rehabilitation
Self Concept
Sign Language
Sign Languages
Social Identification
Social identity
Transnationalism
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Summary:Background: In the last 35 years, hearing majorities have, in variable degree, gradually recognized that deaf people can be strong and able and a common knowledge of deaf people as linguistic minorities is partly embraced in public life. This is by and large a result of a long-time deaf struggle for the recognition of sign language and against paternalistic policies of pity. Aim: This article aims at showing how contemporary deaf identities are crafted by balancing vulnerability and empowering forces. Methods: In the presentation of life narratives from one deaf Norwegian and one deaf American, different aspects of being deaf are explored. These two stories have emerged from two related deaf research projects. They are deliberately chosen because they illustrate central insights gained within this research. Results: The empowering aspects of being sign language users are in focus, as well as the joys of being connected to a global deaf movement. Difficulties and hardship are also part and parcel of the deaf lives displayed, and strong arguments are put forward against the medical model of deafness in particular. Conclusion: One conclusion is that deaf identities are vulnerable but at the same time can be strongly rewarding.
ISSN:1403-4956
1403-4948
1651-2553
1651-1905
DOI:10.1080/14034950510033327