This is an outdated version published on 2023-08-31. Read the most recent version.

The Process of Becoming an Activist: Identity Transformations in Autobiographical Narratives of Women with Disabilities in Poland

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8069.19.3.09

Keywords:

activism, women with disabilities, turning points, identity, autobiographical narrative interview

Abstract

This article reconstructs identity transformations that manifest themselves in the biographies of female activists with disabilities. The empirical material was collected through autobiographical narrative interviews. The author identifies key stages and turning points for these identity transformations. She also analyzes the role of significant others in the process of identity transformations and becoming an activist. The analysis of narratives of women with congenital disabilities demonstrates that the incorporation of disability as an element of individual self-definition is an important factor contributing to identity transformations. In the analyzed narratives, disability represents a biographical resource and, like identity, is processual in nature. Although it accompanies the individual from birth, it undergoes rein­terpretations at different stages of life.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Kamila Albin, University of Warsaw

PhD candidate in the Institute of Applied Social Sciences, University of Warsaw. A sociologist by training, her research interests evolve around disability studies. Her dissertation is devoted to self-advocacy and activism of women with disabilities in biographical perspective.

References

Babbie Earl (2006), The Practice of Social Research, Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing.
Google Scholar

Babik Iryna, Gardner Elena S. (2021), Factors Affecting the Perception of Disability: A Developmental Perspective, “Frontiers in Psychology”, vol. 12, 702166, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.702166
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.702166

Barnes Colin (1997), A Legacy of Oppression: A History of Disability in Western Culture, [in:] Len Barton, Mike Oliver (eds.), Disability Studies: Past, Present and Future, Leeds: The Disability Press, pp. 3–24.
Google Scholar

Berger Peter L. (1963), Invitation to Sociology: a Humanistic Perspective, New York: Doubleday & Company.
Google Scholar

Berger Peter L., Luckmann Thomas (1991), The Social Construction of Reality. A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge, London: Penguin Books.
Google Scholar

Besta Tomasz, Jaśko Katarzyna, Grzymała-Moszczyńska Joanna, Górska Paulina (2019), Walcz, protestuj, zmieniaj świat. Psychologia aktywizmu, Sopot: Smak Słowa.
Google Scholar

Blumer Herbert (1969), Symbolic Interactionism. Perspective and Method, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.
Google Scholar

Bokszański Zbigniew (1989), Tożsamość, interakcja, grupa. Tożsamość jednostki w perspektywie teorii socjologicznej, Łódź: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego.
Google Scholar

Bourdieu Pierre (1990), The logic of practice, Cambridge: Polity Press.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781503621749

Bourdieu Pierre (1998), Practical reason: On the theory of action, Cambridge: Polity Press.
Google Scholar

Campbell Kumari Fiona (2015), Ability, [in:] Rachel Adams, Benjamin Reiss, David Serlin (eds.), Keywords for Disability Studies, London–New York: New York University Press, pp. 12–14.
Google Scholar

Crocker Jennifer, Luhtanen Riia (1990), Collective self-esteem and ingroup bias, “Journal of Personality and Social Psychology”, vol. 58(1), pp. 60–67, https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.58.1.60
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.58.1.60

Dokumaci Arseli (2018), Disability as Method: Interventions in the Habitus of Ableism through Media-Creation, “Disability Studies Quarterly”, vol. 38, no. 3, https://doi.org/10.18061/dsq.v38i3.6491
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.18061/dsq.v38i3.6491

Dunn Dana S., Burcaw Shane (2013), Disability identity: Exploring narrative accounts of disability, “Rehabilitation Psychology”, vol. 58(2), pp. 148–157, https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031691
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031691

Forber-Pratt Anjali J., Lyew Dominique A., Mueller Carlyn, Samples Leah B. (2017), Disability identity development: A systematic review of the literature, “Rehabilitation Psychology”, vol. 62(2), pp. 198–207, https://doi.org/10.1037/rep0000134
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/rep0000134

Giddens Anthony (1991), Modernity and Self-Identity. Self and Society in the Late Modem Age, Cambridge: Polity Press.
Google Scholar

Giermanowska Ewa, Kumaniecka-Wiśniewska Agnieszka, Racław Mariola, Zakrzewska-Manterys Elżbieta (2015), Niedokończona emancypacja: wejście niepełnosprawnych absolwentów szkół wyższych na rynek pracy, Warszawa: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.31338/uw.9788323519416

Gill Carol J. (1997), Four types of integration in disability identity development, “Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation”, vol. 9(1), pp. 39–46, https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-1997-9106
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-1997-9106

Goffman Erving (1963), Stigma. Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.
Google Scholar

Goldschmidt Mira (2018), Orientation and mobility training to people with visual impairments, [in:] Edwige Pissaloux, Ramiro Velázquez (eds.), Mobility of Visually Impaired People. Fundamentals and ICT Assistive Technologies, Cham: Springer, pp. 237–261.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54446-5_8

Hammersley Martyn, Atkinson Paul (2019), Ethnography: Principles in Practice, Abingdon: Routledge.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315146027

Jongenelen Rik (2017), Exploring Role Models in Disability Advocacy: the Case of the Young Voices Programme in Zambia, https://studenttheses.universiteitleiden.nl/handle/1887/64757 (accessed: 28.02.2023).
Google Scholar

Kaźmierska Kaja, Waniek Katarzyna (2020), Autobiograficzny wywiad narracyjny. Metoda – technika – analiza, Łódź: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego.
Google Scholar

Kocejko Magdalena (2018), Nic o nas bez nas? Zaangażowanie ruchu osób z niepełnosprawnościami w monitoring wdrażania Konwencji ONZ o prawach osób niepełnosprawnych w Polsce. Studium przypadku, “Studia z Polityki Publicznej”, vol. 5, no. 4(20), pp. 9–21, https://doi.org/10.33119/KSzPP.2018.4.1
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.33119/KSzPP.2018.4.1

Kubicki Paweł, Bakalarczyk Rafał, Mackiewicz-Ziccardi Marek (2019), Protests of People with Disabilities as Examples of Fledgling Disability Activism in Poland, “Canadian Journal of Disability Studies”, vol. 8(5), pp. 141–160, https://cjds.uwaterloo.ca/index.php/cjds/article/view/569/838 (accessed: 28.02.2023).
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.15353/cjds.v8i5.569

Kumaniecka-Wiśniewska Agnieszka (2006), Kim jestem? Tożsamość kobiet upośledzonych umysłowo, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Akademickie „Żak”.
Google Scholar

Kvale Steinnar (2007), Doing interviews, Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781849208963

Kvale Steinar, Brinkmann Svend (2009), Interviews: Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing, Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Google Scholar

Lofland John, Snow David A., Anderson Leon, Lofland Lyn H. (2009), Analiza układów społecznych. Przewodnik metodologiczny po badaniach jakościowych, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar.
Google Scholar

Maxey Myles, Beckert Troy E. (2017), Adolescents with Disabilities, “Adolescent Research Review”, vol. 2, pp. 59–75, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-016-0043-y
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-016-0043-y

McCormick Cynthia B., Kennedy Janice H. (1994), Parent-child attachment working models and self-esteem in adolescence, “Journal of Youth and Adolescence”, vol. 23, pp. 1–18, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01537139
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01537139

McDonald Gina, Oxford Mike (1995), History of Independent Living, https://www.ilru.org/sites/default/files/History_of_Independent_Living.pdf (accessed: 28.02.2023).
Google Scholar

Mead George H. (1972), Mind, Self and Society. From the Standpoint of a Social Behaviorist, Chicago–London: The University of Chicago Press.
Google Scholar

Mestre Maria V., Samper Paula, Malonda Elizabeth, Llorca Mestre Ana (2019), Bidirectional relations among empathy-related traits, prosocial moral reasoning, and prosocial behaviors, “Social Development”, vol. 28(3), pp. 514–528, https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12366
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12366

Nepveux Denise M. (2015), Activism, [in:] Rachel Adams, Benjamin Reiss, David Serlin (eds.), Keywords for Disability Studies, London–New York: New York University Press, pp. 21–25.
Google Scholar

Niedbalski Jakub (2017), Wymiary, konteksty i wzory karier. Proces stawania się sportowcem przez osoby z niepełnosprawnością fizyczną – analiza społecznych mechanizmów (re)konstruowania tożsamości, Łódź: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego.
Google Scholar

Piotrowski Andrzej (1998), Ład interakcji. Studia z socjologii interpretatywnej, Łódź: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego.
Google Scholar

Portt Erika, Person Staci, Person Brandi, Rawana Edward, Brownlee Keith (2020), Empathy and Positive Aspects of Adolescent Peer Relationships: a Scoping Review, “Journal of Child and Family Studies”, vol. 29, pp. 2416–2433, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01753-x
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01753-x

Riggio Ronald E., Throckmorton Barbara, DePaola Steven (1990), Social skills and selfesteem, “Personality and Individual Differences”, vol. 11(8), pp. 799–804, https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(90)90188-W
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(90)90188-W

Rokuszewska-Pawełek Alicja (1996), Miejsce biografii w socjologii interpretatywnej. Program socjologii biografistycznej Fritza Schützego, “Ask: Społeczeństwo, Badania, Metody”, vol. 3(1), pp. 37–54, https://www.worldcat.org/title/miejsce-biografii-w-socjologii-interpretatywnej-program-socjologiibiografistycznej-fritza-schutzego/oclc/922420696 (accessed: 28.02.2023).
Google Scholar

Rzeźnicka-Krupa Jolanta (2009), Niepełnosprawność i świat społeczny. Szkice metodologiczne, Kraków: Oficyna Wydawnicza Impuls.
Google Scholar

Schütze Fritz (2008), Biography Analysis on the Empirical Base of Autobiographical Narratives: How to Analyze Autobiographical Narrative Interviews – Part One, “European Studies on Inequalities and Social Cohesion”, vol. 1–2, pp. 243–297.
Google Scholar

Shakespeare Tom (1993), Disabled People’s Self-organisation: a new social movement?, “Disability, Handicap and Society”, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 249–263.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02674649366780261

Silverman David (2017), Doing Qualitative Research, London–Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Google Scholar

Strauss Anselm L. (2007), Mirrors & masks. The search for identity, New Brunswick–London: Transaction Publishers.
Google Scholar

Taylor Sunaura (2017), Beasts of Burden. Animal and Disability Liberation, New York: The New Press.
Google Scholar

Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation (1975/1997), Fundamental Principles of Disability, London, https://disability-studies.leeds.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/library/UPIAS-fundamental-principles.pdf (accessed: 28.02.2023).
Google Scholar

Wołowicz-Ruszkowska Agnieszka (2013), Zanikanie? Trajektorie tożsamości kobiet z niepełnosprawnością, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Akademii Pedagogiki Specjalnej.
Google Scholar

Żuchowska-Skiba Dorota (2016), Aktywność środowisk osób niepełnosprawnych we współczesnej Polsce, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Instytutu Filozofii i Socjologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk.
Google Scholar

Downloads

Published

2023-08-31

Versions

How to Cite

Albin, K. (2023). The Process of Becoming an Activist: Identity Transformations in Autobiographical Narratives of Women with Disabilities in Poland. Przegląd Socjologii Jakościowej, 19(3), 158–177. https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8069.19.3.09

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 3 (2023)

Section

Articles

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

Funding data

  • Narodowe Centrum Nauki
    Grant numbers 2021/41/N/HS6/01558 entitled “Activists, leaders, (self-)advocats. Experiences of activism in autobiographical narratives of women with disabilities in Poland”