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Stories of Disconnectedness and Belonging - Exploring Deaf People’s Experiences in Mongolia

Bengtsson, Saara LU (2014) MIDM19 20141
LUMID International Master programme in applied International Development and Management
Abstract
Millions of deaf people around the world live without the possibility of going to school or learning a language and experience a prolonged disconnection from their social environments. The purpose of this study was to explore deaf people’s experiences in Mongolia of a transition from social and psychological isolation towards a process of inclusion.

The research was carried out by using mainly narrative- and visual methods, and centres on the experiences of four deaf people who grew up living disconnected without a well-functioning language and who later came to learn sign language. The research is focused on how the informants subjectively perceive the impact that learning sign language had in their lives and what needs have been... (More)
Millions of deaf people around the world live without the possibility of going to school or learning a language and experience a prolonged disconnection from their social environments. The purpose of this study was to explore deaf people’s experiences in Mongolia of a transition from social and psychological isolation towards a process of inclusion.

The research was carried out by using mainly narrative- and visual methods, and centres on the experiences of four deaf people who grew up living disconnected without a well-functioning language and who later came to learn sign language. The research is focused on how the informants subjectively perceive the impact that learning sign language had in their lives and what needs have been satisfied through it.

The results indicate the importance that communication has had in their lives as a medium to multi-dimensional forms of belonging and social inclusion. When given the possibility to learn sign language and to become part of a community, many of the informants’ fundamental human needs were met and their rights were enhanced. Their process provides an example of how personal development is connected to societal and structural development. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Bengtsson, Saara LU
supervisor
organization
course
MIDM19 20141
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Deaf people, Mongolia, Sign language, Narrative study, Visual methods
language
English
id
4443031
date added to LUP
2014-09-09 10:19:00
date last changed
2014-09-09 10:19:00
@misc{4443031,
  abstract     = {{Millions of deaf people around the world live without the possibility of going to school or learning a language and experience a prolonged disconnection from their social environments. The purpose of this study was to explore deaf people’s experiences in Mongolia of a transition from social and psychological isolation towards a process of inclusion. 

The research was carried out by using mainly narrative- and visual methods, and centres on the experiences of four deaf people who grew up living disconnected without a well-functioning language and who later came to learn sign language. The research is focused on how the informants subjectively perceive the impact that learning sign language had in their lives and what needs have been satisfied through it. 

The results indicate the importance that communication has had in their lives as a medium to multi-dimensional forms of belonging and social inclusion. When given the possibility to learn sign language and to become part of a community, many of the informants’ fundamental human needs were met and their rights were enhanced. Their process provides an example of how personal development is connected to societal and structural development.}},
  author       = {{Bengtsson, Saara}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Stories of Disconnectedness and Belonging - Exploring Deaf People’s Experiences in Mongolia}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}