Introduction to American Deaf Culture

by Thomas K. Holcomb

Introduction to American Deaf Culture is the only comprehensive textbook that provides a broad, yet in-depth, exploration of how Deaf people are best understood from a cultural perspective, with coverage of topics such as how culture is defined, how the concept of culture can be applied to the Deaf experience, and how Deaf culture has evolved over the years. Among the issues included are an analysis of various segments of the Deaf community, Deaf cultural norms, the tension between the Deaf and disabled communities, Deaf art and literature (both written English and A.S.L. forms), the solutions being offered by the Deaf community for effective living as Deaf individuals, and an analysis of the universality of the Deaf experience, including the enculturation process that many Deaf people undergo as they develop healthy identities. As a member of a multigenerational Deaf family with a lifetime of experience living bi-culturally among Deaf and hearing people, author Thomas K. Holcomb enhances the text with engaging stories interwoven throughout. In addition to being used in college-level courses, this book can also help parents and educators of Deaf children understand the world of Deaf culture. It offers a beautiful introduction to the ways Deaf people effectively manage their lives in a world full of people who can hear.

Genres: Nonfiction, School, Read For School, Textbooks, Disability, History

386 pages, Paperback

First published November 28, 2012

Reviews

[Taylor E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Very educational. Good perspective on the topic.

[DEvelyn Kaburu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as part of my first ASL class. It was a fine introduction to topic and appropriate for the purpose. I like the author's anecdotes (denoted in little grey boxes) the most.

Components I was personally not a fan of:
-Repetition. I felt the author repeated himself every chapter or two with some of the same overarching arguments regarding what makes Deaf Culture a culture.
-Links. I think if you are reading this in an electronic format, it might actually be nice, but I was reading a paperback and got annoyed with the constant references to the website(s) with additional information.
-Lists. The author was really intentional about including well-known deaf people and their accomplishments. Given the cultural context about how the deaf community wants their members recognized, it makes sense. However, it was just a LOT for a newbie. I ended up skimming a lot of these sections, which I think is counter intuitive to the author's goals. It may have been better for the author to select a singular individual for each section and dig deeper into how their contributions exemplify the Deaf Culture.
-Disclaimers. There were sections where the author included a paragraph that almost read like a disclaimer to avoid getting angry emails from readers. Again, understanding the culture has collectivist tendencies in which one person's words affect the entire community, I understand why the author felt the need to include these asides. However, as an outsider, I just skimmed over these, wishing they would get to the point!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helps to understand the world I (we) live in Deaf Culture. Brilliant introductions in ways we manage to survive in the hearing world. Yes, it American, however, Deaf worldwide shared the same survival, experience, and developing healthy normal lives as much as everyone on hearing environment.

Deaf History, Arts, and Identities. Fabulous!

[Brent Woo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Asks the fundamental questions and gives broad, basic answers about American Deaf Culture. Raises lots of interesting questions for discussion, making it ideal for a class or excerpting from it to start a discussion. I really like the author's personal anecdote 'gray boxes', with illustrative stories from his own life. Could do with a section with a younger/more recent perspective, discussing contemporary apps, recent art productions, technology innovations that have changed the young Deaf life experience.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The BEST book. This is so invaluable to understanding the Deaf community, and I would recommend this to anyone. If you're learning ASL, it's really helpful but if you're just interested in Deaf culture this is also helpful in learning about another culture that you might not be familiar with. I would soo recommend it.

[Rin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I am teaching my kids sign and I truly believe that you can't teach a language without understanding the culture of native speakers. This book was so wonderful and I've become so fascinated with deaf culture ever since my family began the journey to learning ASL. I really appreciate this book and the course that led me to it.

[Billie Flaming · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive exploration and explanation of the varied and complex culture of Deaf Americans. Each chapter is easy to understand, be you studying Sign Language or looking into Deaf culture to better understand someone new in your life.
I took ASL for 2 years in college and found this text invaluable to unlocking and relearning so many details of what I perceive as a hearing individual.

[Sara Arrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope Dr Holcomb does an updated version of this book. It has lots of valuable information, but many things have happened in our world since 2012 and I'd love to see a book with more recent information. I had to supplement a lot for my class.

I'd also like to see a book written by a variety of deaf people on American deaf culture. Including, but not limited to Hispanic, black, LGBT, etc.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holcomb does a great job of teaching readers the ins and outs of American Deaf Culture. He leaves nothing to spare. This is a great book for anyone who wants to know more about American Deaf Culture and how it differs from our traditional hearing culture.

[Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of Deaf culture with just the right amount of depth. Includes Deaf language, history, art, and the importance of community and Deaf mentors and role models to deaf children. Really exceptional introduction to a beautiful culture.

[Evette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for my ASL class, was lovely & informative. I enjoyed all the perspectives from the author and definitely learned a lot. I liked all the side noted from Holcomb and especially the links and directions to other sources.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book! Would highly recommend to others!

[Mya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough, exhaustive. Eager to become a HEARING-BUT.

[Megan Laffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and insightful on Deaf Culture in the USA

[Heather Back · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for my Deaf Culture and Community class, but would recommend to anyone interested in Deaf culture and learning ASL.

[me · Rating 2 out of 5]

i liked the section about name signs. much of the book felt a little outdated. the author seems to have some weird exclusionary views on multidisabled deaf people

[Kyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for Deaf culture class. If you want to learn more about the Deaf Culture, Community, Language, and History, read this book!🤟

[Finn Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a very clear picture of the Deaf world from a Deaf perspective in a way that is still accessible to hearing audiences.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great reference. I read it for a class I took. Anything you want to know about how to interact sensitively with deaf people, and how their culture differs from hearing culture is in this book. The author does a complete job explaining deaf issues and different ideologies. There are some very funny parts too. One thing I learned: text messaging is different, because texting is used as communication tool, its important to start and finish conversations. You should say hello and goodbye if you have to end a conversation.

There's a lot of good information and the style is very readable.

[Bonita Jewel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book provides an insightful glimpse into Deaf culture and the Deaf community. It also looks candidly at the issues the Deaf community is facing today, and what the future of this community might look like down the line. Perhaps my favorite part of the book was finding a poem at the end of each chapter. Some were humorous, some poignant, and all a great look at the world of the Deaf.

[Danielle Cozzola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book!! I read it for my Deaf culture class in college.

[Sophie Polyankina]

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