Book notice: Sign Language Peoples as indigenous minorities: implications for research and policy

[Harold Schiffman]

*Sign Language Peoples as indigenous minorities: implications for research
and policy*

*Sarah C E Batterbury, Paddy Ladd, Mike Gulliver*

Received 20 July 2004; in revised form 20 February 2006; published online 20
July 2007

*Abstract. *In this paper we draw strong parallels between Sign Language
Peoples (SLPs) and First Nation peoples. We argue that SLPs (communities
defining themselves by shared membership in physical and metaphysical
aspects of language, culture, epistemology, and ontology) can be considered
indigenous groups in need of legal protection in respect of educational,
linguistic, and cultural rights accorded to other First Nation indigenous
communities. We challenge the assumption that SLPs should be primarily
categorised within concepts of disability. The disability label denies the
unique spatial culturolinguistic phenomenon of SLP collectivist identity by
replicating traditional colonialist perspectives, and actively contributing
to their ongoing oppression. Rather, SLPs are defined spatially as a locus
for performing, building, and reproducing a collective topography expressed
through a common language and a shared culture and history.

 Cite as:
Batterbury S C E, Ladd P, Gulliver M, 2007, "Sign Language Peoples as
indigenous minorities: implications for research and policy" *Environment
and Planning* advance online publication, doi:10.1068/a388
http://www.envplan.com/abstract.cgi?id=a388
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