Dear Carolyn (and all).
It is good that you remind us that this is a 'research' list, but it is
also important to remember that who/what we are researching are *people*
with disability experience. In the important philosophy of
"Emancipatory Research" (Oliver, Barton, Barnes, et al), it is crucial
to *hear* what those directly involved have to say.
You write
> it would seem to me that if one chooses to discuss one's personal life
>in an academic forum, one is choosing to place one's personal life
>under the proverbial academic microscope. Therefore, one should not be
>surprised when one's life and or comments concerning said life are
>critiqued, analyzed or otherwise theorized over, under, through and to.
I don't think that the ethos of Emancipatory or liberating research
would agree. Aren't we interested in understanding and disseminating
the impact/influence of disablement, and if so, what gives anyone the
right to criticize or minimalize how one *feels* about being disabled by
society?
>If one chooses to place one's personal life in the realm of academia
>and one can't handle the critiquing that ensues, the only one to blame
>is one's self. No one is forced to place personal information in an
>academic environment -- especially one such as this. There are other
>ways to discuss one's views or theories or observations of an academic
>topic than personal anecdotes.
You are right about the choice to place personal stories in a public
venue, and about there being other (more supportive) places to air such
tales. However, I adamantly believe that personal anecdotes move us
closer to understanding one another, and if someone is generous enough
to share her or his story we "academics" should be profoundly grateful
for the insights offered. Such "data" can only enhance our arguments
against the disabling effects of society as it currently exists.
(Sorry, Mark, to prolongue the debate, but this is a "personal" and
academic stance that needed to be offered.)
Flame away, everyone.
Dona Avery
U of Bristol/AZ State U.
[log in to unmask]
www.public.asu.edu/~donam
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