Understanding Deaf Culture : In Search of Deafhood

This book presents a ‘Traveller’s Guide’ to Deaf Culture, starting from the premise that Deaf cultures have an important contribution to make to other academic disciplines, and human lives in general. Within and outside Deaf communities, there is a need for an account of the new concept of Deaf culture, which enables readers to assess its place alongside work on other minority cultures and multilingual discourses. The book aims to assess the concepts of culture, on their own terms and in their many guises and to apply these to Deaf communities. The author illustrates the pitfalls which have been created for those communities by the medical concept of ‘deafness’ and contrasts this with his new concept of “Deafhood”, a process by which every Deaf child, family and adult implicitly explains their existence in the world to themselves and each other. This Book Presents A 'travellers Guide' To Deaf Culture, Starting From The Premise That Deaf Cultures Have An Important Contribution To Make Other Academic Disciplines, And To Human Lives In General. Within And Outside Deaf Communities, There Is A Need For An Account Of The New Concept Of Deaf Culture, Which Enables Readers To Assess Its Place Alongside Work Within Other Minority Cultures And Multilingual Discourses. This Book Assesses The Concepts Of Culture, On Their Terms And In Their Many Guises And Applies These To Deaf Communities. The Author Illustrates The Pitfalls Which Have Been Created For Those Communities By An Unthinking Adherence To The Medical Concept Of 'deafness' And Contrasts This With His New Concept Of 'deafhood', A Process By Which Every Deaf Child, Family And Adult Implicity Explains Their Existence In The World To Themselves And Each Other. Introduction: Deaf Communities -- Deafness And Deafhood In Western Civilization--toward The Development Of A New Conceptual Framework -- Twentieth Century Discourses -- Culture--definitions And Theories -- Deaf Culture: Discourses And Definitions -- Researching Deaf Communities--subaltern Researcher Methodologies -- Roots Of Deaf Culture: Residential Schools -- Roots Of Deaf Culture: Deaf Clubs And Deaf Subalterns Subaltern Rebels And Deafhood--national Dimensions -- Conclusions And Implications -- Afterword -- Further Reading -- Appendices -- Charity Colony-- Blue Ribbon Ceremony -- Questions Discussed With Informants -- United Kingdom Council On Deafness -- Bibliography -- Index. Paddy Ladd. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 477-495) And Indexes. Contents 7 Acknowledgements 12 Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations 17 Plate 1 23 Plate 2 24 Plate 3 25 Plate 4 26 Plate 5 27 Plate 6 28 Plate 7 29 Plate 8 30 Introduction 31 Chapter 1 Deaf Communities 56 Chapter 2 Deafness and Deafhood in Western Civilisation – Towards the Development of a New Conceptual Framework 105 Chapter 3 Twentieth Century Discourses 165 Chapter 4 Culture – Definitions and Theories 226 Chapter 5 Deaf Culture: Discourses and Definitions 262 Chapter 6 Researching Deaf Communities – Subaltern Researcher Methodologies 297 Chapter 7 The Roots of Deaf Culture: Residential Schools 327 Chapter 8 The Roots of Deaf Culture: Deaf Clubs and Deaf Subalterns 362 Chapter 9 Subaltern Rebels and Deafhood – National Dimensions 399 Chapter 10 Conclusions and Implications 431 Chapter 11 Afterword 464 Further Reading 493 Appendix 1 Charity Colony 497 Appendix 2 Text of the Blue Ribbon Ceremony, XIII World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf, Brisbane, Australia 25–31 July 1999 499 Appendix 3 List of Initial Questions and Topic Areas Presented to Deaf Informants 502 Appendix 4 United Kingdom Council on Deafness 505 Bibliography 507 Index 526 [The author] presents a traveller's guide to deaf culture, starting from the premise that deaf cultures have an important contribution to make to other academic disciplines and human life in general. Within and outside Deaf communities, there is a need for an account of the new concept of Deaf culture, which enables readers to assess its place alongside work within other minority cultures and multilingual discourses.-Back cover This book assesses the concepts of Deaf culture. It illustrates the pitfalls which have been created for Deaf communities by the medical concept of ‘deafness’ and contrasts this with a new concept of “Deafhood”, a process by which every Deaf child, family and adult implicitly explains their existence in the world to themselves and each other. This text presents a "Traveller's Guide" to deaf culture, starting from the premise that deaf cultures have an important contribution to make to other academic disciplines, and human lives in general