Deaf way, deaf view: a study of deaf culture from a deaf perspective

Abstract

This thesis explores Deafness as a way of being, in contrast with the dominant pathological view which focuses on the 'tragedy' of hearing loss. This narrow view is refuted by Deaf people in favour of a positive, cultural perspective of Deafness. The starting point for this research journey is my reflection on my experience as a child of Deaf parents. A group of five people active in the Christchurch Deaf community were interviewed in two two-hour sessions. The interview sessions explored participants' lives as Deaf people, the Deaf community and its culture. Additional information came from others in the New Zealand Deaf community, a 'cultural adviser', and parents and children of Deaf people The historical origins of the Deaf community lie in the residential Schools for the Deaf, then as students entered adult life and established Deaf clubs. The clubs provide a communal meeting place for a people largely pushed to the margins of Hearing society. The Deaf world is characterised by certain values and behaviours, and by its own language. These characteristics act as boundaries between Deaf and Hearing worlds. While Deaf people negotiate the boundaries in their daily lives, only a minority of Hearing people are aware that they exist. Hearing people such as the children and parents of Deaf people also navigate the borderlands between the two worlds. Another perspective that contrasts with the narrow medical definition of deafness is the social model of disability. This places the responsibility for disability on a society which does not adapt to, and therefore excludes, people with physical and mental 'impairments'. Social workers working with Deaf people need to work from a cultural understanding of Deafness as well as having familiarity with a social model of disability as it relates to matters of practice and policy.