Faculty, students take part in Deaf History International conference

Dr. Brian Greenwald, associate professor in the Department of History and Government and vice chair of the Gallaudet University Museum Committee, gave a presentation, “Preserving History at Gallaudet University,” in August at the Finnish Deaf Museum in Helsinki. He co-wrote the presentation with Dr. Jane Norman, a professor in the Department of Communication Studies and curator and project director for the planned museum at Gallaudet. Greenwald traveled to Finland after attending the Deaf History International conference in Stockholm, Sweden, held August 4 to 8. He is pictured with Tiina Naukkarinen (left), head curator of the Finnish Deaf Museum, and Susanna Eskola, assistant curator.

Gallaudet representatives and friends gather at the Deaf History International Conference in Stockholm, Sweden. Pictured (from left) are: students Jannelle Legg and Taye Akinola, ASL and Deaf Studies Assistant Professor Joseph Murray, History Associate Professor Brian Greenwald; students Rachel Rose, Natsumi Kauno, and Ron Jiu; and human rights scholar Barbara Earth.

Six Gallaudet graduate students were active participants in the Deaf History International conference (DHI), which took place in Stockholm, Sweden August 4 to 8, interviewing scholars studying the deaf experience, including John Hay, president of the British Deaf History Society.

The students’ participation at this important conference grew from an idea the previous summer by Dr. Brian Greenwald, an associate professor in the Department of Government and History, and Dr. Joseph Murray, an assistant professor in the Department of ASL and Deaf Studies, to offer a class focusing on Scandinavian deaf history. They brought the idea to College of Liberal Arts, Sciences, and Technologies Dean Isaac Agboola, who supported the proposal. The concept evolved into a four-week class with a study abroad component in Sweden that included the DHI and a visit to the Manilla School for the Deaf in Stockholm.

DHI conferences, which are held tri-annually, are the only venue for scholars to gather and disseminate information exclusively related to deaf history. Gallaudet has long been associated with DHI. In fact, the first DHI conference took place at the University in 1991.

The experience of attending the DHI had a profound impact on the Gallaudet students. “It was very interesting to be a part of a long history of transnational deaf meetings,” said  Barbara Earth “and I look forward to continuing to build relationships at the next meeting in Toronto” in 2012. Taye Akinola commented, “The DHI conference has been an eye-opening experience for me because of the academic discourse I gained through dialogue and presentations. The most positive experience was meeting scholars from around the world and knowing that there are other people who share the same passion as I do.” He added, “Attending the DHI conference allowed me to see and understand the research that has been done and how much we need to do to further establish the field of deaf history as a prominent subfield within the field of history.”

Rachel Rose wrote: “Sweden is a beautiful country and the Deaf History International Conference did an excellent job showcasing that beauty and tying it into the unique history of the deaf Swedish community. I found the conference to be a perfect opportunity to meet new people in areas of interest similar to mine. The research that came out of the conference was informative, and there were several presentations that changed the way I thought about the history of deaf people—even the history of deaf America. It was beneficial for me to see formal and academic historical analysis and then have the opportunity to meet and dialogue with the presenters. I was able to interview several experts in deaf German history—my area of interest—and that has proven to be very valuable to my studies here at Gallaudet.”

Greenwald and Murray are both pleased that their idea proved beneficial for the students. “The class was designed so students would have scholarly interactions with historians of the deaf experience, and our graduate students surpassed my expectations!” said Murray. “I am very pleased that students gained direct and tangential benefits by participating at DHI,” added Greenwald. “I observed many of them meeting with scholars and community historians, who also enjoyed interacting with them as well.”

(Note: Dr. Greenwald and Dr. Murray contributed to this article.)