The Deafhood Movement

Deafhood reexamines Sign Language Peoples through colonial theory, framing oralism as cultural colonization and a call for decolonial praxis
About this Event

This presentation examines the structural oppression and self-actualization of Sign Language Peoples through the analytical lens of colonial theory. Moving beyond traditional medical and disability frameworks, the discourse of Deafhood frames the historical suppression of sign languages and the hegemony of oralism as a distinct form of cultural colonization. By placing the Deafhood movement in conversation with critical frameworks of postcolonialism and settler colonialism, this talk evaluates where the Deaf experience aligns with traditional subaltern narratives and where it demands its own category of "Other." Ultimately, the Deafhood movement invites a reassessment regarding the cultural frameworks of decolonial praxis.