Sunday 21 November 2010

Assignment 4: Summary 2

In Dr. Miriam Levingers article “What Deaf Parents ‘Hear’” he successfully gives an insight into the deaf-parent world, which is based in between two hearing worlds, that of the hearing children and that of the hearing grandparent (their parents) He looks into the feelings of a deaf person toward their hearing parents and children. Looking at their childhood memories and then their experiences with parenting, Dr. Levingers uses these memories to analysis this study into three main groups – Communication, capability and “differentness”.

The key point that Dr. Levingers is trying to put across through out this study is to develop parenting skills within the deaf parent community. But during his study the deaf parents exploited it so that they were able to share their voices and experiences into both the deaf world and the hearing world. Within this article it gives the evidence that has been proven in many other studies that deaf people are born to hearing parents, and when deaf people go on to marry each other and eventually have children 90% of the time they have hearing children. And thus raising the problem of the parent and child communication and learning curve.

Dr. Levingers main source of primary research comes from a study that took place in central Israel during December 2005 through until February 2006. In this study 12 deaf parents in between the ages of 35-55 attended, including 4 couples. All of the participants were born and raised by hearing parents. Dr. Levingers concludes that from the deaf peoples childhood memories they felt loneliness, suffering, lack of belief in abilities, lack of communication with their environment and deprivation. And when asked about their experiences in parenting their hearing children they said that they suffered from their children not listening, disappointment and failure as a parent, loneliness, helplessness and shame.

This article truly opened my eyes into the world of being a deaf-parent and the many difficulties they have already faced growing up in an isolated world and the further struggles they appear to have with their parenting experiences when it comes to their hearing children. In the conclusion of Dr. Levingers study he gives some quite shocking insights into some of the isolation that occurs, from another study he refers that only 13% of deaf adults communicate easily with their children. Some even being embarrassed to be seen signing when out in the public eye not wanting to be seen as ‘an idiot’. I found it quite upsetting to find that from this some parents of deaf children even think that if they work hard enough at making their child ‘normal’ that they would eventually be able to hear. I would defiantly say that the outcome of this article is to try and shed some light on the difficulties of parenting deaf children and gives a genuine and true insight into the many communication difficulties that would defiantly happen during this time.

Assignment 4: Summary 1

In Mairian Corkers book, “Deaf and Disabled, or Deafness Disabled?” she further explores the deaf world and how the ‘normal’ society is both viewed by the deaf community and how they see us. She is able to give a real insight to this view of being portrayed as deaf and disabled as she herself is deaf.

Through out this book it is clear to see that Corker is trying to get rid of a divide that she feels is in place in the social world between deaf and disabled people towards people with hearing and no disabilities. She covers a very wide range of social problems and human rights acts that may not be giving deaf and disabled people the right equality in life. It is very clear to see that she has a very strong opinion when it comes to equality through out a very wide range of aspects in our lives that people without disabilities take for granted. In many sections of this book she mentions the discrimination that is taking place in the modern world towards disabilities.

Corker firstly looks into how in some western societies deaf and disabled people may have the misfortune to be ignored or even disguised during their lives and thus creating a struggle to identify with social groups and even themselves. She continues these identity crisis views in chapter 3 looking further into the change that is needed in the current policies towards deaf and disabled people needs to change so that they have more efficient speaking rights. She looks at how some processes have split deaf and disabled people both from each other and from understanding their relationship with the dominant culture. Discrimination in the work place is also mentioned and how there are high levels of unemployment in the deaf population due to the arrogant view that they will be ‘poor performers’ in many work places.

By using secondary research she shows that in case studies that have taken place with deaf children there is evidence that they are able to pick up change in emotion, difference in attitude and other non-verbal or visual aspects if communication.

It is clear that Corkers main point she is putting across here is the equality for deaf people in this ever increasingly isolating world for them. Although some of the views put across are a bit dated I feel that the larger majority of this book is still very relevant even in today’s world.

‘Whenever I jar up against another human being, it is useless just to tell them I am deaf. I have to hunt for ways of explaining that their method of communication thrusts me into isolation. Although my body and its clothing are in the room of life, I the person am not. My participation is stunted by their immobile lips, hands and attitudes.’

Thursday 18 November 2010

Christoph Zellweger



I am currently 2 weeks into my research project in the studio! I have been looking into the work of Christoph Zellweger, who is such an inspirational jeweller if i do say so myself! I was introduced to his work through the head of our department, Sandra Wilson. So many thanks to her! I am enjoying learning about the thought process behind his work. He has a very interesting and complex mind. I am looking into getting a few questions together for him to send but I don't want to give him the same old jibber jabber that he would probably get all the time. I will let you know how it goes!

Friday 12 November 2010

Wrist Boob


A quick look at my latest creation following my last project (narrative) not quite an everyday bracelet but its pretty rocking huh?? made from silver and the boob is resin with a cz set into it! Loverly

Wednesday 3 November 2010

LAZER BEAM



Yesterday I tried my hand at lazer cutting, sounds a bit extreme and scary huh? well to be honest after I had churned out a few samples I really feel like I was getting in the swing of things! I took this little snap when my sample was being made,( I'm not too sure if you are supposed to do that?! so maybe don't copy my bad example! )