Disability as Biographical Disruption
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Jolita Viluckienė
Published 2010-11-08
https://doi.org/10.15388/SocMintVei.2010.1.6098
PDF (Lithuanian)

Keywords

biographical disruption
physical disability
disabled
taken for granted reality
reconstruction of identity
resocialization

How to Cite

Viluckienė, J. (2010) “Disability as Biographical Disruption”, Sociologija. Mintis ir veiksmas, 26, pp. 116–130. doi:10.15388/SocMintVei.2010.1.6098.

Abstract

This article explores physical disability as biographical disruption caused to persons confined to a wheel-chair after the unexpected cerebral trauma or palsy. Their personal narratives based on the qualitative in-depth interviews suggest that they perceive disability as the subjective reality that shook their world to its foundations, provoked a breakdown of their everyday taken for granted word, disrupted the routine of social practices, redefined their social roles and divided their biographies into two periods: “before” the disability and “after” it. Disability, as it insinuates into biography, is perceived not only as a bodily substance, but it also transforms personal and social identity and requires, through resocialization process, to recreate the meaningful structures of the reality and provide a new valid justification for this reality. Thus, the disability becomes a significant factor that shapes the further biographical situation, as in many cases, impaired physical mobility elicits changes in lifestyle, profession and employment, attitudes to him/herself and to others as well as value orientations.
PDF (Lithuanian)

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