An Ethnographic Study of Hearing Children of Deaf Adults and the Negotiation of Threatened Social Identities

Aims and Objectives

The CODA project explores how hearing children of deaf adults (Codas) experience the courtesy stigma (or stigma-by-association) of their parents and the cultural resources they use to become agents of their own empowerment.

The CODA project seeks to find out what it means to be a Coda in a deaf-parented family, and to understand how stigma-by-association is experienced in society and how social disadvantage can be overcome through a sense of community belonging based on shared experiences.

The project aligns with the United Nations commitment to protecting the right of children to an inclusive and safe environment free from stigma and discrimination (SDG 10; UNCRC 1989).

Dr Noel O'Connell was awarded an SFI-IRC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship to conduct this research, under the supervision of Dr Deirdre Horgan and in collaboration with Dr Gill Harold.

Methodology

CODA adopts novel cross-disciplinary research approaches by combining theory from Sociology with insights from Deaf Studies and Childhood Studies in order to explore two fundamental social concerns of our time: (1) the problem of courtesy stigma affecting children and families; (2) and the complex nature of identity in an ableist society.

The project will use ethnographic methods based on individual and focus group interviews, participant observation and film documentary with Coda adults and children in liaison with CODA Ireland and UK.  

Funder & Project Dates

This project is funded under the SFI-IRC Pathway Programme from 2023-2028.

Contact

For further information on this project contact Dr Noel O'Connell at noconnell@ucc.ie