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Expressing and Examining Morality in Everyday Life: Social Comparisons among Swedish Parents of Deaf Children

Åkerström, Malin LU and Jacobsson, Katarina LU (2009) In Qualitative Sociology Review 5(2). p.54-69
Abstract
Social comparisons, seeing oneself in relation to others, are universal, common, and perhaps even necessary. In a study of parents of deaf children, intense, open, and mutual examinations were voiced in parental groups, meetings between parents and professionals, and interviews. These comparisons were generated in a specific situation created by successful claims for separate milieus advocated by the Deaf movement. The local culture, “the deaf world,” was characterized by close proximity and a highly charged ideological moral climate.

With the central argument that strong integration breeds comparisons and examinations, we conclude that the integration of parents creates a situation perfect for drawing comparisons, creating not... (More)
Social comparisons, seeing oneself in relation to others, are universal, common, and perhaps even necessary. In a study of parents of deaf children, intense, open, and mutual examinations were voiced in parental groups, meetings between parents and professionals, and interviews. These comparisons were generated in a specific situation created by successful claims for separate milieus advocated by the Deaf movement. The local culture, “the deaf world,” was characterized by close proximity and a highly charged ideological moral climate.

With the central argument that strong integration breeds comparisons and examinations, we conclude that the integration of parents creates a situation perfect for drawing comparisons, creating not only cohesion, but also renewed separatist distinctions, expressed in terms of moral examinations, competition and envy. Studying the content and details of comparisons in any given field makes the particular morality that is bred, fed, and elaborated obvious. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Deaf culture, sign-language, hard-of-hearing, identity work, everyday life, morality, social comparisons, Sweden, Integration
in
Qualitative Sociology Review
volume
5
issue
2
pages
54 - 69
publisher
Lodz University
external identifiers
  • scopus:76749101055
ISSN
1733-8077
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2f51cc86-7386-4e68-a983-0da406aec433 (old id 1492503)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:03:46
date last changed
2022-01-29 08:06:32
@article{2f51cc86-7386-4e68-a983-0da406aec433,
  abstract     = {{Social comparisons, seeing oneself in relation to others, are universal, common, and perhaps even necessary. In a study of parents of deaf children, intense, open, and mutual examinations were voiced in parental groups, meetings between parents and professionals, and interviews. These comparisons were generated in a specific situation created by successful claims for separate milieus advocated by the Deaf movement. The local culture, “the deaf world,” was characterized by close proximity and a highly charged ideological moral climate. <br/><br>
 With the central argument that strong integration breeds comparisons and examinations, we conclude that the integration of parents creates a situation perfect for drawing comparisons, creating not only cohesion, but also renewed separatist distinctions, expressed in terms of moral examinations, competition and envy. Studying the content and details of comparisons in any given field makes the particular morality that is bred, fed, and elaborated obvious.}},
  author       = {{Åkerström, Malin and Jacobsson, Katarina}},
  issn         = {{1733-8077}},
  keywords     = {{Deaf culture; sign-language; hard-of-hearing; identity work; everyday life; morality; social comparisons; Sweden; Integration}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{54--69}},
  publisher    = {{Lodz University}},
  series       = {{Qualitative Sociology Review}},
  title        = {{Expressing and Examining Morality in Everyday Life: Social Comparisons among Swedish Parents of Deaf Children}},
  volume       = {{5}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}