Dyslexia is commonly used as an umbrella-term to denote poor skills in reading, as well as in writing (dysgraphia), in spelling (dysorthography) and in making calculations (dyscalculia). In Italy - where people with dyslexia are estimated around 4% of the population - this condition has received little or no attention until the 90's. This article focuses on twenty narratives - collected through in-depth interviews - of people who experienced this difference without being able to name it. Nowadays most of the pupils with a «learning disability» is diagnosed in the early years of school. Analyzing the experience of individuals who went through the education process without diagnosis - relevant by itself - can also illustrate the actual experience of those who come to terms with dyslexia before it is diagnosed. The essay moves from a reflection on the role of diagnosis, focusing on the ambivalent consequences of this form of medicalization of otherness. By juxtaposing two perspectives on this condition, we will focus on how the interviewees frame dyslexia and, consequently, themselves as dyslexic. While the majority of the stories reproduce the dominant construction of dyslexia as a «disorder», some participants define themselves as «neurologically different», mirroring the notion of neurodiversity and contrasting the medical model of dyslexia.

Una differenza senza nome: Narrazioni autobiografiche di dislessici adulti

CARDANO, Mario;CIOFFI, MICHELE
2016-01-01

Abstract

Dyslexia is commonly used as an umbrella-term to denote poor skills in reading, as well as in writing (dysgraphia), in spelling (dysorthography) and in making calculations (dyscalculia). In Italy - where people with dyslexia are estimated around 4% of the population - this condition has received little or no attention until the 90's. This article focuses on twenty narratives - collected through in-depth interviews - of people who experienced this difference without being able to name it. Nowadays most of the pupils with a «learning disability» is diagnosed in the early years of school. Analyzing the experience of individuals who went through the education process without diagnosis - relevant by itself - can also illustrate the actual experience of those who come to terms with dyslexia before it is diagnosed. The essay moves from a reflection on the role of diagnosis, focusing on the ambivalent consequences of this form of medicalization of otherness. By juxtaposing two perspectives on this condition, we will focus on how the interviewees frame dyslexia and, consequently, themselves as dyslexic. While the majority of the stories reproduce the dominant construction of dyslexia as a «disorder», some participants define themselves as «neurologically different», mirroring the notion of neurodiversity and contrasting the medical model of dyslexia.
2016
Italiano
Esperti anonimi
57
2
263
292
30
https://www.rivisteweb.it/download/article/10.1423/83814
Dyslexia; Life stories; Medicalization; Neurodiversity; Social model of disability; Sociology and Political Science
no
3 – prodotto con deroga per i casi previsti dal Regolamento (allegherò il modulo al passo 5-Carica)
262
2
Cardano, Mario; Cioffi, Michele
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
partially_open
03-CONTRIBUTO IN RIVISTA::03A-Articolo su Rivista
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
CARDANO CIOFFI Una differenza senza nome.pdf

Accesso riservato

Tipo di file: PDF EDITORIALE
Dimensione 170.46 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
170.46 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
CARDANO CIOFFI Una differenza senza nome.pdf

Accesso aperto

Descrizione: articolo su rivista
Tipo di file: POSTPRINT (VERSIONE FINALE DELL’AUTORE)
Dimensione 612.65 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
612.65 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2318/1600152
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 2
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact