Deaf Identity Development: An Analysis through Glickman’s Deaf Identity Theory and Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Theory

Authors : Bilge Nuran Aydoğdu, Azize Canel

Pages : 63-80

Doi:10.15285/maruaebd.1662445

View : 157 | Download : 180

Publication Date : 2025-07-22

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This article aims to analyze the development of deaf identity through the integration of Glickman’s deaf identity theory and Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory. It examines the influence of multiple factors, including parental hearing status, modes of communication, educational settings, and societal attitudes, in shaping deaf identity. The study emphasizes the pervasive impact of social structures, particularly the dominance of medical perspective on deafness, which affect individual experiences, institutional policies, and broader sociocultural norms. By drawing on these theoretical frameworks, this study examines the dynamic and continuously evolving process of deaf identity, shaped by interactions within the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. Furthermore, it explores the extent to which early-life experiences within various ecological systems contribute to long term identity development and self-perception. The prevailing medical model of deafness, which is reinforced across ecological layers, perpetuates a cycle that constrains identity development by influencing individual experiences at all levels, from family to education, and fosters cultural attitudes that hinder inclusive identity formation. In conclusion, the point of disruption for this cycle lies in the formulation of equitable policies that would facilitate the shift from the dominant medical model to a cultural model, the promotion of bilingual acquisition, and the implementation of inclusive, deaf culturally informed, and human rights-based regulations across all ecological systems.
Keywords : sağır kimlik, sağır kültür, sağır toplum, Bronfenbrenner, işiten ebeveynler

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