The Evidence Is Life: Deaf Pilgrimages to Language and Community in Mexico City

By: Anne E. Pfister

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Synopsis: Drawing on theories of language socialization and communities of practice in an ethnographic study of deaf children and their families in Mexico City, sociolinguistic and medical anthropologist Anne E. Pfister shows how her participants reject stigmatizing social and biomedical beliefs about deafness. Grounded in over ten years of ethnographic research through participant observation, visual methods, and participatory analysis, The Evidence Is Life shares the story of La Familia López, a composite narrative woven from the common themes and experiences of the deaf individuals and families in Pfister’s study. The story of the Lopez family is framed as a pilgrimage, through which readers reflect on participating families’ journeys from confusion to profound transformation. Moving from a deficit perspective on deafness to discovering the value of accessible language, the families and children in this study eventually arrive at a community of belonging. Contextualized through Mexican history and institutional structures, The Evidence Is Life illuminates common experiences, challenges dominant narratives regarding deafness, and provides recommendations for families, educators, policymakers, medical professionals, and advocates working in deaf education.