The Sign Language Bible Translation Movement: A Look through the Eyes of TBT

In this article I look at articles in past issues of The Bible Translator to note what they say about sign language Bible translation (SLBT) and to highlight areas of particular importance to today’s SLBT movement. After a summary and some updates on the history of the movement, I look at the various issues raised in the articles about SLBT work, covering topics such as Deaf identity, issues surrounding sign language, the need for Deaf ownership, setting up SLBT projects, and the process of translation.

Representation and resistance: A qualitative study of narratives of Deaf cultural identity

This qualitative study examines narratives of identity among deaf adults in Denmark who were raised within the Bilingual–Bicultural programme of education. At a time of threat to sign language and the Deaf community, the study explores the distinctiveness of a minority cultural identity rooted in sign language and elaborated through Deaf norms and values. Applying the social psychological theories of social identity and social representations, the analysis shows that while Deaf identity is developed through and against forces of marginalisation and the medicalising system of representation that cochlear implants reify, it both celebrates Deaf culture and embraces cross-cultural dialogue and exchange. The findings run against existing models of deaf identity that posit discrete Deaf (immersive) and bicultural identities. They also disclose the importance of studies of social identity that retrieve the theory’s original emphasis on cultural systems and context to explain identities and intergroup dynamics. Finally, the study has resonances for disability and other minority studies and movements that seek to pay attention to socially creative processes of critiquing normativity and enlarging understandings of culture and identity.

Exploring deaf sign language interpreting students’ experiences from joint sign language interpreting programs for deaf and hearing students in Finland

Integrated university programs for deaf and hearing sign language interpreting students are rare. In Finland, deaf interpreting students have been integrated in the only university program for sign language interpreting since its beginning in the early 2000s. This article investigates the experiences of the deaf interpreting students and deaf sign language interpreters (n = 5) who attend and have attended the program. We analyzed interview responses using critical discourse analysis and the concept of identity construction, and found that deaf interpreting students, despite some disadvantages, benefited from the integrated program. We also found three identity positions – competent deaf identity, student identity, and professional DI identity – and support for recognition (Honneth 1996) in both the solidarity and legal sphere developed through the program.

Cochlear Implant Nonuse: Insight from Deaf Adults

Research examining the outcome of pediatric cochlear implantation consists of certain limitations, including the use of assessments that are often restricted to auditory-spoken skills, biased recruitment practices, and lack of consideration for identity development. To better understand the long-term outcome of implantation, it is vital to seek out individuals who decide to stop using their device and elicit feedback related to their decision. Thus, 11 adults, who were past cochlear implant (CI) users, were interviewed to gain insight into factors that had led to their decision regarding cochlear implant nonuse. Results indicated several variables to have played a role, but the most prominent factors were limitations in postimplant auditory perceptual development and development of a d/Deaf identity. Although cochlear implant practices and technology have improved over the past few decades, we need to recognize the continued variability in outcome to ensure the provision of the most accurate information and appropriate services.

The Association Between Deaf Identity and Emotional Distress Among Adolescents

The sociocultural approach regards being deaf as a cultural characteristic in the identity of a deaf/hard-of-hearing (D/HH) person. The degree to which one integrates the hearing and Deaf cultures (“acculturation”) is an important factor for the well-being of deaf adolescents. We examined the relationship between acculturation patterns and emotional distress among D/HH (n = 69) compared to hearing (n = 60) adolescents in Israel. We used culturally and linguistically accessible measures. Our findings showed no significant differences in emotional distress between D/HH and their hearing counterparts. Acculturation played an important role predicting emotional distress. Identification with both the Deaf and hearing cultures was associated with reduced somatization. Exposure to discrimination and social support was also associated with emotional distress in predictable ways. Findings are interpreted within the specific context of Israeli society and highlight the importance of using adaptive linguistic and cultural assessment tools with D/HH populations.

Looking Through the Kaleidoscope: A Metaphor for Convergences of Identities

This chapter dives into the exploration of how identities and the variables contributing to these identities converge. The author, a deaf counseling psychologist, uses the kaleidoscope as a metaphor to illustrate this process. She describes her own identity exploration as a deaf woman, including the ways that personal and professional identities have been influenced by multiple variables interacting with each other as illustrated by the movement of the various elements of the kaleidoscope. To broaden her understanding of her life journey, she relies on acculturation and intersectional theories and outlines how these theories fit with her experiences. She also examines the implications of deaf identity formation for psychological well-being.

Identity, Ethics, and the Deaf Community

From the vantage point of philosophy, this chapter discusses identities using a philosophical stance with specific focus on the ethics dimension of what deaf identity means. The author, a deaf philosopher, explores the American Sign Language representation of the word philosophy and briefly describes the role of philosophy per se in exploring the roles of metaphysics and epistemology. She introduces an analytical philosophical approach to the topic of ethics and deaf identities that involves concept clarification, analysis of brief examples, and posing specific kinds of questions that are typical of this discipline. The chapter ends with a plea for academics and community participants to continue exploring explicit identification of beliefs about the nature and meaning of deaf identity.

Lessons Learned: How Studying Cochlear Implantation Reveals the Context in Which d/Deaf Identities Are Formed

With the exponential increase in the use of cochlear implants, much has been written about how cochlear implants may have changed deaf identities. Recent research documents a trend toward a more hearing-oriented identity with potential for positive psychological well-being. In this chapter, a hearing sociologist and ethnographic researcher highlights how the clinical context shapes both parental decision making about obtaining cochlear implants for their deaf children and the far-reaching influence that hearing-oriented systems have on this decision-making process for parents, deaf individuals, and deaf communities. The author describes the nature of these hearing-oriented systems and highlights issues related to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status for cochlear-implanted children. The potential implications for these children are considered. There is a need for research that broadly examines the question of whether and how cochlear implants change the long history of narratives of finding one’s Deaf identity.