My research examines the connections between deafness, special education reform, and poverty in the late 19th & early 20th centuries. Individuals living with deafness (often defined or regarded as a disability) in Latin America have long been disenfranchised, faced ostracism, or ignored by their governments.
Despite a series of laws and other regulations instituted in the 19th & 20th centuries, there remains a long-standing history of discrimination and injustice toward Deaf individuals in Mexico. In recent years, the United States has reported an influx of Deaf Mexicans and other Deaf migrants from Central America who are currently seeking asylum because their own governments have failed to uphold their constitutional rights and to provide them with the means to procure life’s basic necessities. I am currently working on several scholarly projects that examine these historical topics in light of current geopolitical conflicts and debates.
*In simple terms, scholars have cited two constructions of deafness that now dominate – deafness as a disability or hearing impairment and Deafness as designating a member of a cultural and linguistic minority.