4 Year Nursing Degree Programme (BSc Cur)
NU2E01 Perspectives on Deafness (5 ECTS)
Learning Outcomes
Following completion of this module the student should be able to:
- Describe the historical context that notions of Deafness are grounded within September 2010 Perspectives on Deafness
- Describe the major milestones in Deaf history (e.g. establishment of Deaf education, formation of communities, the `Golden era' of manualism, the rise of oralism, the Congress of Milan 1880, the introduction of oral education in Ireland and consequences thereof).
- Describe the major philosophical influences on responses to deafness (e.g. legal, religious, educational, rehabilitation, normalisation, eugenics, human rights, socio-cultural views, medical responses to deafness).
- Describe the medical model of deafness ' Describe the social model of deafness
- Describe the human rights agenda as it relates to the Deaf community
- Reflect on various definitions of the Deaf Community
- Define Deafhood
- Situate Irish Deaf community experiences in a broader EU and global context
- Outline contemporary responses to deafness and Deafhood
- Demonstrate knowledge of the main organisations for Deaf and hard of hearing people in Ireland
- Describe the minority communities within the Deaf community (e.g. Deaf Travellers, Deaf people with disabilities, Deaf-blind people, Deaf gay/lesbians, Deaf people of race, Deaf people who are members of minority religious communities in Ireland, etc.)
- Describe how educational context influences policy that impacts on the Deaf community
Module Learning Aims
This module introduces students to the range of ways in which deafness and Deaf people are
categorised – by medical personnel, by hearing people, and by the Deaf community. Three major
strands are covered: (1) Perspectives on Deafness: The Deaf Community, Culture and Historical
Context (2) Medical, Social and Personal and (3) International Perspectives on Deafness.
In (1) we examine the variety of societal responses to deafness over time. We begin with references to
deafness and Deaf people in ancient times and trace changing attitudes to deafness, signed languages
and Deafhood up until contemporary times. We also explore the notion of Deaf culture and community
and consider the objective symbols and behavioural norms of this culture.
This module introduces a continuum of perspectives of deafness, and examines the range of practical
and political implications of these views. We also consider the range of implications that this can have on
a Deaf person’s self-image. A range of views from Deaf deafened and hard of hearing people which
have been pre-recorded are shared over the course of this module. This module also considers different
ways of being Deaf in the modern world.
Recommended Reading List
- Barnes, Colin, Geof Mercer and Tom Shakespeare. 1999 Exploring Disability; A Sociological Introduction. Cambridge.
- Polity Branson Jan and Don Miller. (2002). Damned for their difference: the cultural construction of deaf people as "disabled" ; a sociological history. Washington, D.C.
- Gallaudet, Ladd, Paddy (2003) Understanding Deaf Culture; in search for Deafhood. Multilingual Matters, Clevedon.
- Gregory Susan. 1991. Constructing Deafness. London, Open University Press.
- Lane, Harlan. 1999. The mask of benevolence: disabling the deaf community. 2nd ed. San Diego (Ca.) : DawnSign Press.
- Lane, Harlan, 2002. Do Deaf People Have A Disability Page 356-379 Sign Language Studies vol.2 no 4.
Lane, H., Hoffmeister, R. and Bahan, B.1996: A Journey into the Deaf World. San Diego, California: Dawn Sign Press.
- Oliver, Michael. (1990) The Politics of Disablement. London, Macmillian.
* Additional readings will be given for each unit of learning.