Hands as Voices: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations for Qualitative Research With Black Deaf Youth

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: Incorporating Voice, Community, and Context

Abstract

This paper pays particular attention to the theoretical and methodological considerations that are essential when conducting qualitative research with Black-Deaf youth. Considerations in this paper were distilled from a qualitative study conducted by the researcher alongside 7 Black-Deaf youth who utilized their “voices” as a tool to elucidate what it means to be Black and Deaf in the U.S. Analyzing the youth’s stories, the researcher shared three major findings for Black-Deaf youth research; theoretical expansion, methodological imagination, and Black ASL research support. Collectively, these considerations work to critically investigate the difficult work it takes to advocate for and upfilt Black-Deaf youth in research, communities, schools, and movements that are concerned with young people as change makers.

Author

• Mary Johnson, University of Maryland - College Park