CULTURE OF DEAF PEOPLE

The course is one of the basic courses of the Bachelor's Degree Program 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 the Italian Deaf 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-manual 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 important events that have characterized the history of the Italian Deaf community and the basic understanding of 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 is able to express thoughts and opinions on the cultural and social features of Deafness.
The student is able to evaluate autonomously the historical and social situation of 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 the 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 Deaf Culture in a perspective that sees 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
• The Congress of Milan
• Italian Sign Language in its evolutionary and historical components
• The Stigma of Deafness
• Social and behavioural aspects of 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.
- Russo Cardona T., Volterra V. (a cura di), Le lingue dei segni. Storia e Semiotica, cap. 1 e 6, 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.
- Notes of the lectures and study material available online.

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

oral

The lecturer has a duty to ensure that the rules regarding the authenticity and originality of exam tests and papers are respected. Therefore, if there is suspicion of irregular conduct, an additional assessment may be conducted, which could differ from the original exam description.

Scores in the range of 18-22: Sufficient knowledge and understanding of the syllabus; sufficient application of theoretical knowledge and ability to formulate independent judgments; sufficient clarity of exposition and ability to use specific terminology.
Scores in the range of 23-26: Fair knowledge and understanding of the syllabus; fair application of theoretical knowledge and ability to formulate independent judgments; fair clarity of exposition and ability to use specific terminology.
Scores in the range of 27-30: Good to excellent knowledge and understanding of the syllabus; good to excellent application of theoretical knowledge and ability to formulate independent judgments; good to excellent clarity of exposition and ability to use specific terminology.
30 with honors: Excellent knowledge and understanding of the syllabus; excellent application of theoretical knowledge and ability to formulate independent judgments; excellent clarity of exposition and ability to use specific terminology.

Lectures and use of audio-visual materials.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development