Orange in a World of Apples
The voices of albinism
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12313610 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nathalie Wan (0000-0001-6128-8763, Douglas College, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2003 |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 277-296 |
| Publication date | 2003-05-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Disability & Society (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0968-7599 • E-ISSN: 1360-0508 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/0968759032000052860 |
| OpenAlex | W2147001234 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 19 |
| References cited | 8 |
Albinism is a rare genetic condition that affects the pigmentation of the retina, hair and skin. Consequently, people with albinism world-wide experience the stigma and negative repercussions of an unconventional physical appearance, as well as a visual impairment. The medical literature has focused extensively on the genetics of albinism amongst animals, but it has been relatively under-studied and ignored in sociology. People with albinism have rarely had the opportunity to tell their stories; to tell their sorrows and their triumphs. This paper attempts to remedy this failure in social science. In-depth interviews were conducted with seven women and five men, living in various countries globally. The study is framed around Erving Goffman's theory of stigma and 'spoiled identity', as well as the more recent Disability Studies that stresses 'the normals' as being the 'identity spoilers' or the 'problem'. The participants revealed victimisation from various sources including students, teachers, employers, colleagues, strangers and the medical profession. Focus is placed on the strategies that respondents have devised in coping with these adversities. The results identify eight principal methods of reaction and response to the discrimination against people with albinism. These eight different strategies of resistance to the stigmatisation of albinism are essential elements of personal change and even, possibly, social change. This paper quotes respondents' own words. Such methodology offers the chance for people with albinism to voice their experiences, and for us researchers to listen and learn
Aesthetics · Albinism · Art · Biology · Coping (psychology · Developmental psychology · Identity (music · Psychiatry · Stigma (botany · Clinical Psychology · Disability Rights and Representation · Psychology · Social Psychology · Urban and Rural Development Challenges · Genetics
Reconciling Goffman and Disability Studies
Children with albinism in African regions
Positive Visibility
Violation of Dignity and Life
Two People and One Albino! Accounts of Discrimination, Stigmatization, and Violence Against People Living with Albinism in Nigeria
Influence of social stigma on subjective well‐being of persons with albinism in Ghana
Albinism in Malawi
Malawian mothers’ experiences of raising children living with albinism
Oculocutaneous albinism in southern Africa
Being black in a white skin
Albinism, spiritual and cultural practices, and implications for health, healthcare, and human rights
Media Analysis of Albino Killings in Tanzania
Women’s experiences of living with albinism in Taiwan and perspectives on reproductive decision making
An act of agency
Labeling albinism
Re(dis)covering Goffman
Competing intergenerational perspectives of living with albinism in Kenya and their implications for children's lives
The myths surrounding people with albinism in South Africa and Zimbabwe
Albinism, stigma, subjectivity and global-local discourses in Tanzania
| Unique citing works | 19 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.95 |
| Citation span | 2006 - 2026 (21) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 18 |