German Sign Language and
Communication of the Deaf
Photo: UHH/Denstorf
15 November 2022, by Pamela Sundhausen
Photo: IDGS
On the occasion of the recently published book "The Social Condition Of Deaf People. The Story Of A Woman And A Hearing Society" by Anna Folchi and Sara Trovato (published by De Gruyter), a successful tour by the two authors came to an end with four readings from their book in front of an enthusiastic audience.
After stops in Landshut, Göttingen and Berlin, Hamburg was the crowning finale of the series of events.
The Institute for German Sign Language and Communication of the Deaf, the Association of the Deaf in Hamburg and the Department 2 of the Faculty of Education (Pedagogy of Disability and Disadvantage) had invited to the book launch including a champagne reception in the Besenbinderhof on the evening of 8 November.
During the event, communication was in English, DGS and International Sign. This was supported by a team of five Deaf and hearing interpreters.
Anna Folchi is Deaf and spoke about her moving childhood and youth. She grew up as an only child with her parents, aunt and uncle. They all lived in the same house and were deaf. Thus, on the one hand, Anna grew up naturally with Italian Sign Language (LIS) and sign language culture, and on the other hand, she had access to Italian spoken language from an early age due to the oral educational experiences in her family. Along the way, she repeatedly found that as a deaf woman she did not have the same educational opportunities as other people, which led her to develop the idea for the book together with Sara Trovato.
Sara Trovato is hearing and presented scientific research with data from all over Europe in the lecture. She noted that while educational opportunities are unexpectedly similar among deaf men and women compared to hearing people, job opportunities then reveal a major disadvantage for deaf people. She cites the Scandinavian countries as role models because there the educational opportunities for deaf women are much higher than in other parts of Europe.
After the lecture, the two authors were available for questions from the audience and after a relaxed champagne reception in the Besenbinderhof, we went on with the authors to a typical North German fish restaurant.
We look back on a wonderful, inspiring evening!