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I guess experiences become less individualized and more common when people have spaces and opportunities to share them. Like other social movements, the growth of disability organizations, their politicization and the development of new paradigms of thinking took a lot of people a lot of time and a lot of sharing. Why should we expect other people to get through that process so much quicker? (apart from the fact that there are more alternative role models and resources available). On a more academic note, I found C Wright Mills' distinction between 'personal troubles' become 'social issues' helpful... In that sense, just because something is a social issue doesn't mean it can't be a personal trouble too! (I'll resist 'personal tragedy'). Not saying it has to be of course but I guess you risk alienating a lot of people if you adopt a didactic approach to any self empowerment project? Best wishes Mark -----Original Message----- From: The Disability-Research Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Smith, Glenn Sent: 13 June 2003 12:05 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: personal tragedy on large This question goes to the core of many aspects of identity and oppresion -if someone does not recognise they are being opressed are they opressed ? ...and should they be helped to change their view - after all some people who are part of a 'group' seemingly oppressed often benefit from that oppression because their life and personality is suited to seeing the world like that or seeing the world from a different angle may be psychologically as damaging as being understood as an individual with a biomedical problem devoid of social context. From my own personal thoughts, letting people make up their own minds by pointing them in the direction of good, engaging and challenging reading material about understanding disability/chronic illness as contextual experiences that are subject to the usual social/cultural/historical/geographical pressures is the best way to address this dilemma. If this material enlightens them about experiences/reactions/problems in their life they could make no sense through a medical lense of disability understanding, then ten to one they will begin to understand their life with a disability as being socially defined too. Aftter that they can find their own balance between understanding their life as biomedically and socially defined. Having both knowledge bases gives a great deal of empowerment in dealing with their own sense of self and the reactions of others etc - self education is the key i would say... All the Best Glenn Dr Glenn Smith, Research Fellow, London. -----Original Message----- From: Wolfgang Mizelli To: [log in to unmask] Sent: 13/06/03 10:57 Subject: personal tragedy on large Dear Listmembers, I am the chairperson of the national independent living movement in Austria. Situation there is like everywhereelse: oppression, paternalism, social exclusion and stuff like that. We have to go a long way to fight for our rights so. Part of the oppression is the use of the medical model of disability, and it is more the model of personal tragedy, that' s in use, even by disabled people themselves. Anyone an idea about how to deal with disabled persons, who beleave, their impairment and disability are a personal tragedy. Anyone experience? Regards Wolfgang Mizelli ________________End of message______________________ Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List are now located at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page. ________________End of message______________________ Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List are now located at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page. ________________End of message______________________ Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List are now located at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.