The Community of the Blind: Social Organization, Advocacy and Cultural Redefinition

Abstract

Based on a two-year study of an advocacy organization, this paper describes a social community of prevocationally blind persons. Characteristics of the community include identification, shared experiences and participation, life-long economic dependence on blindness institutions, and mass participation in the blindness advocacy movement. The phenomenon of cultural redefinition within the community is also assessed. Activists create new meanings of blindness and associated concepts as they work out effective means to change their socioeconomic status. It is suggested that advocacy group membership creates a social community and provides a realistic environment in which members lessen the negative effects of stigmatization.