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 the recognition of sign language and against paternalistic policies of pity.


OBJECTIVE
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.


CONCLUSIONS
One conclusion is that deaf identities are vulnerable but at the same time can be strongly rewarding.
Breivik
Jan-Kåre
JK
Stein Rokkan Centre for Social Studies, University of Bergen, Norway. jan.breivik@rokkan.uib.no
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003142:Communication; D003638:Deafness / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D033262:Narration; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012649:Self Concept; D012813:Sign Language; D012933:Social Identification