Contemplating The Normal And Abnormal

Prior research on deafness has been characterized by an existing dichotomy between the medical and cultural models that have offered contrastive paradigms and routes from which to explain what sets the "abnormal" from the "normal." The medical model construes deafness as a pathology or form of illness that should be treated whereas the cultural model views deafness simply as one possibility in the wide spectrum of cultural variation. This thesis aims to address the strengths and limits of both models. Based on participant observation and in-depth field interview, this thesis explores the multiple local social worlds inhabited by Shanghai’s deaf people, an extremely diverse group of individuals officially labeled as the disabled people with special needs. Our field findings suggest there is a huge discrepancy between two radically different systems of communication:the standardized official sign language and a far more localized, colloquial form of gestures and paralanguage among the deaf people. This study points to the vital importance of local knowledge in the policy-making process especially if it concerns with the actual needs and welfare of the disadvantaged group. With an aim to blur the dichotomy between the medical and cultural models, this thesis will contribute to a deeper understanding of the multi-layered meanings of "being deaf" in contemporary Shanghai in the hope that concrete actions will be taken to help empower the deaf and eliminate social stigma.