Deaf Identities in the Making: Local Lives, Transnational Connections

231 Pages·2005·0.88 MB·English

by  Jan-Kare Breivik

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DEAF IDENTITIES
IN THE
MAKING
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DEAF IDENTITIES
IN THE
MAKING
Local Lives,
Transnational
Connections
Jan-Kåre Breivik
Gallaudet University Press
Washington, D.C.
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Gallaudet University Press
Washington, D.C. 20002
http://gupress.gallaudet.edu
© 2005 by Gallaudet University.
All rights reserved
Published in 2005
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Breivik, Jan-Kåre.
Deaf identities in the making / Jan-Kåre Breivik.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-56368-276-1 (alk. paper)
1. Deaf—Social conditions. 2. Deaf—Psychology. 3. Identity
(Psychology) 4. Deaf—Biography. 5. Sociology of disability. I. Title.
HV2380.B687 2005
305.9'082—dc22 2005040070
ISBN 1-56368-2076-1
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.
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✥ CONTENTS
A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S v i i
I N T R O D U C T I O N 1
1 B E I N G , B E C O M I N G , A N D L O N G I N G 1 7
2 L I M I N A L I T Y 4 5
3 T H E H O M E L E S S M I N D — B E L O N G I N G 7 8
A N D L I M B O
4 L O C A L L I V E S , T R A N S N AT I O N A L 1 0 7
C O N N E C T I O N S
5 WAY U P : O N D E A F E T H N I F I C AT I O N 1 4 6
6 I N D I V I D U A L D I L E M M A S A N D 1 8 5
C O L L E C T I V E O B S TA C L E S
R E F E R E N C E S 2 0 7
I N D E X 2 1 3
v
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✥ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In writing this book, I have been guided by many friends and colleagues
and helped by a few key institutions and organizations. I am in particular
indebted to the deaf people who shared their life stories with me—and
hence made this book possible.
I am also indebted to numerous other deaf people who I approached
during the years of research upon which this book is based (from 1996
and onward). These are my sign language teachers at ODF (Oslo Deaf
Club), in particular Keir Evjen, and teachers, staff, and students at Ål
Deaf College: Jon Martin Brauti, Ingunn Herland, Ipek Dedeoglu
Mehlum, Nora E. Mosand, Per Ove Nybråten, Paal R. Peterson, Mona
Skånøy, Helge Svanaasen, Klemmet Våge, Kristin Fuglås Våge, and Rolf
Wennersteen. I am also indebted to the staff at Døves Video (the Deaf
Video and Broadcasting Unit) and NDF (the National Deaf Association).
At NDF I am in particular indebted to Hanne Enerhaugen, Tone Britt
Handberg, Sonja M. Holten, Bjørn Kristiansen, and Vidar Sæle. My
thanks extends to other deaf people who I have met at different global
deaf events. Through some of these events I have gotten in touch with
central figures in the Deaf world who have provided me with invaluable
insights. One such person is the president of the World Federation of the
Deaf, Markku Jokinen. Another is the former president, Liisa Kauppinen.
vii
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viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Without the insight that these people have provided me with, there
would have been no book at all. This is also true with regard to my deaf
colleague, Hilde Haualand, who has been my main discussant for many
years. Without her insight and knowledge, I would have been quite dis-
oriented.
On the hearing side, there is also a long list of people who have pro-
vided me with valuable support. Among them, I would first of all like to
thank my supervisors Thomas H. Eriksen (from the University of Oslo)
and Per Solvang (from the University of Bergen). They have both fol-
lowed this research with insightful and inspiring critiques. I am also grate-
ful for the presence and support from my academic colleagues and admin-
istrative staff at the Department of Social Anthropology at the University
of Oslo and at Stein Rokkan Centre for Social Studies at the University of
Bergen. I also thank Karl Kerner for language editing and proofreading,
and Gallaudet University Press for accepting this manuscript. Finally,
thanks to the Norwegian Research Council, The Welfare Program, for the
financing of my research.
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DEAF IDENTITIES
IN THE
MAKING