Radical Signs: Deaf People in Radical Left Politics

The presentation will be in BSL, BSL/English interpreters will be present

In this presentation, Dai O’Brien, Associate Professor of BSL and Deaf Studies, will look at some of the neglected history of deaf radicals both in the UK and internationally.

 

When deaf or disabled people are involved in radical political movements, either their politics or their disability is minimised in an effort to make them more palatable to non-disabled audiences. Either they are portrayed as disabled people who are compliant, well-behaved citizens, or they are portrayed as political radicals whose disability is ignored.

In this presentation, Dai will talk about deaf people who were involved in the global anarchist movement in the early part of the 20th century, with a particular focus on Leonard A Motler, who was born in Eccles and was an active member of the anarchist-communist movement in the UK. The presentation will look at Motler’s life and work, and reflect on what it means to be disabled within radical left spaces.

 

Dai has worked in York St John University since 2012, after time studying in the University of Bristol, working in the NHS, and travelling the world. He is deaf and use British Sign Language, and he has a broad interest in all aspects of deaf people's lives and languages, with particular focus on political involvement and activism.