CULTURE OF DEAF PEOPLE

This course is one of the basic course for the degree in Languages, Civilizations and Language Sciences and aims to provide students with the first socio-cultural tools to understand deafness from a less common point of view and detached from the more widespread medical one.
The aim of the course is to develop the knowledge of Italian Sorda culture and community following a multidisciplinary perspective that will cross the history of the Deaf, linguistic stigmatization and reflection on the value of a natural language for those who live communication according to a purely visual gestural input.

1. Knowledge and understanding

The student knows the basic principles of the concepts of Culture and Community.
The student knows the correct terminology to use to refer to Deafness as a socio-anthropological entity.
The student knows the importan events that have characterized the history of the Italian Deaf community and the basic understanding of the its main cultural, social and historical features.
The student understands the educational experience of the Deaf from a specific cultural and linguistic point of view.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding

The studenti is able to apply the correct terminology related to Deafness as a socio-anthropological entity.
The student can apply the acquired historical, educational and social knowledge to understand and interprete the contemporary debate on the linguistic rights of the Deaf Community.

3. Making judgements:

The student will be able to express thoughts and opinion on the cultural and social features of Deafness.
The student will evaluate autonomously through the historical and social reflection, the peculiarities of the different experiences experienced by Deaf People in and outside the deaf community, in a perspective of emancipation from the concept of disability tout court.

4. Communication:

The student is able to express with appropriate terminology and critically argument the main cultural and historical aspects of the Deaf Community bringing relevant and consistent examples based on nthe historical and educational peculiarities of the Community itself.
The studenti is able to argument critically and respectfully with the peers and the teacher.

5. Learning skills:

The student is able to take notes.
The student is able to consult the references in the syllabus and select electronic resources related to the Deaf Culture in a perspective that seen these concepts in an ongoing evolution.

No prerequisites are required

• Introduction to the concepts of culture and community from a socio-anthropological point of view
• Different approaches and perspectives on Deafness
• Understanding of the concepts of culture and communities applied to Deafness
• History of the Education of the Deaf
• History of the Deaf Assciations
• La teologia della parola and the Milan Congress
• The Italian Sign Language in its evolutionary and historical components.
• The Stigma of Deafness.
• Social and beahvioral aspects of the Deaf Culture
• Stereotypes and prejudice

- Matera V., Comunicazione e cultura, Roma: Carocci Editore, 2013

- Marziale B., Volterra V. (a cura di), Lingua dei segni, società e diritti, Roma: Carocci editore, 2016 – cap. 1

- Sacks O., Vedere voci, Milano: Adelphi, 1990 ed edizioni seguenti. - I e II parte

- Porcari Li Destri G., Volterra V. (a cura di), Passato e presente. Uno sguardo sull’educazione dei Sordi in Italia, Napoli: Guido Gnocchi Editore, parte prima e pp. 105-153 e
- Russo Cardona T., Volterra V. (a cura di), Le lingue dei segni. Storia e Semiotica, cap. 1, Carocci, 2007
- Fontana S., Zuccalà A., “Lo spazio sociale della sordità: da individuo a comunità” in Bagnara C., Fontana S., Tomasuolo E. e Zuccalà A. (a cura di) I segni raccontano. La Lingua dei Segni Italiana tra esperienze, strumenti e metodologie, Milano: FrancoAngeli, pp. 35-44
- Dispense e materiali di approfondimento disponibili online.

TESTI AGGIUNTIVI PER NON FREQUENTANTI: 

- Goffman E., Stigma. L’identità negata, Verona: Ombre Corte, 2003 (o altre edizioni), cap. 1-2-3

- Russo Cardona T., Volterra V. (a cura di), Le lingue dei segni. Storia e Semiotica, cap. 2
, Carocci, 2007
- Zuccalà a. (a cura di), Cultura del gesto e cultura della parola. Viaggio antropologico nel mondo dei sordi. Roma: Meltemi, 1997 - da pp. 69-89


Students will be evaluated through an oral exam to verify the correct comprehension of the required books for the exam and the ability to explicate the logical connections between the various experiences presented and lived by the Deaf Community through a critical and competent reflection of the Deaf culture.

Lectures and use of audiovisual materials.

Italian

oral