Deaf Culture and Deaf Studies

This paper discusses three points regarding the issues: (1) Why deaf studies should exist as a special meaningful part of disability studies? (2) Why cochlear implants threaten the identity of deaf people? (3) What is the issues and challenges to construct the deaf culture and deaf studies in South Korea? The deaf culture has formed its own discourses under the Deaf studies before the discourses of disability studies were established. Deaf studies emphasizes the empowerment of the deaf people by actively participating in a new social movement. Currently, the cochlear impantation threatens the identity of Deaf pride. In this viewpoints, the future of Deaf studies depends on how the ontology of the deafness and the status of the deafhood will be embodied in our society in order to create the collectivism of deaf culture in a positive meaning. This year marks the 100th anniversary of education for the deaf in our country, however the identity of the deaf education is not yet clear, and the same goes for the deaf culture and Deaf studies. The reality of the Korean deaf culture is very poor and the level of supports and interests from hearing people are also very low. The primarily effort to build the identity of the deaf culture should be made by the deaf themselves, while the understanding and supports from the hearing people are also very important.