Deaf Theory

From Hearing Ideology to Deaf Theory

To understand Deaf theory, it is useful to distinguish between ideology and theory. By definition, ideology is “the body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group, class, or culture” or “a systematic set of doctrines or beliefs.” In this sense, ideology refers to how systems are established and recruit members. Ideology might be understand, then, as the “rules of the games” or the taken-for-granted regulations that govern how the world is defined, how we are expected to behave in the world and even how we are suppose to understand the world. Historically, deaf people have been forced to adhere to a hearing ideology to a point where many deaf people believe it is better to be hearing. Understanding how ideology operates, then, is one critical component of Deaf Studies.

By definition, theory is “a system of ideas or statements held as an explanation or account of a group of facts or phenomena.” In this respect, theory is difficult to define. Theory may refer to how we explain and analyze anything (material or immaterial). To understand Deaf theory, however, it is useful to turn to aligned theoretical traditions, which include other theoretical traditions rooted first and foremost in identity, critiques of power relations, and emancipatory struggles (e.g., feminist theory, critical race theory, and queer theory). Each of these theories is based on the premise that a) identity matters, b) power relations structure our experiences in the world, and c) theory is not divorced from political struggles but rather holds the potential to support emancipatory movements. Following these premises, Deaf theory might be understood as a theory that acknowledges that Deaf people suffer discrimination because they are Deaf, that they have specific needs that remain negated and unsatisfied, and that the satisfaction of these needs would require a radical change.

Key Theoretical Concepts and Issues in Deaf Theory

As a still-developing theoretical field, defining Deaf theory and isolating its key concepts and issues is challenging. What follows are just a few concepts and issues that are central to Deaf theory broadly defined.