Open Your Eyes

Deaf Studies Talking

This groundbreaking volume introduces readers to the key concepts and debates in deaf studies, offering perspectives on the relevance and richness of deaf ways of being in the world. In Open Your Eyes leading and emerging scholars, the majority of whom are deaf, consider physical and cultural boundaries of deaf places and probe the complex intersections of deaf identities with gender, sexuality, disability, family, and race. Together, they explore the role of sensory perception in constructing community, redefine literacy in light of signed languages, and delve into the profound medical, social, and political dimensions of the disability label often assigned to deafness.

Moving beyond proving the existence of deaf culture, Open Your Eyes shows how the culture contributes vital insights on issues of identity, language, and power, and, ultimately, challenges our culture's obsession with normalcy. [H-Dirksen Bauman; (2008) 308 pages; soft cover]