Transcript Rehabilitation And Anthropology

Rehabilitation And
Anthropology
The culture of Disability
Dr Essa Alsadi
Durban 2003
• WHAT IS REHABILITATION
• DO WE HAVE A CULTURE OF DISABILITY?
• Definition:
Culture of disability is the knowledge,
belief, customs, learned behavior, habits,
techniques, ideas and values within the
disability community.
Relationship between nature and
culture of disability
The universality of certain disability Genetic
affect on certain disability also affect on
the behavior of human kind. behavior
indicate that disability has culture.
Myths, stereotypes and images of
disability
• Myths vary from small to general
• Myths in small societies tend to have great
impact on disability (to look at the
disabled as affected by some spirit).
• Universal mythology tend to over ride
cultural differences (Down syndrome and
relation to retardation).
Social structure and it’s relation to
culture and disability
• Social Structure of each culture is the
focus of anthropology (it includes
institutions, roles and social relations).
• Institutions varies according to the type of
disability.
• Institutions are the same throughout the
world regarding the same disability.
• There are roles played at each disability
regardless of the culture.
• The role of the wheelchair played on the
disabled life is the same in all cultures.
• Social relation is part of the disability
culture.
• Relationship between members of the
same disability is stronger than others
even those with disability
The new belief system of disability
• Belief systems within disability community
varies regarding the disability itself.
• At the same time a belief system could be
the same for a disability regardless of the
culture of the disabled
World view of disability
• Different cultures share same attitude and
view regarding disability.
• People in the disabled field act, think and
behave in the same way in comparison to
other fields.