Performing the label "LD": An ethnography of United States undergraduates with learning disabilities Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors England-Kennedy, Elizabeth Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 10/10/2021 15:51:07 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/289803 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. 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ProQuest Informatkm and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 PERFORMING THE LABEL "LD AN ETHNOGRAPHY OF U.S. UNDERGRADUATES WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES by Elizabeth Sara EnglandKennedy Copyright © Elizabeth Sara EnglandKennedy 2002 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY WITH A MAJOR IN ANTHROPOLOGY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2002 UMI Number; 3053873 Copyright 2002 by EnglandKennedy, Elizabeth Sara All rights reserved. UMI__® UMI Microfomn 3053873 Copyright 2002 by ProQuest Information and Leaning Company. All rights reserved. This microfomn edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Leaming Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA ® GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Elizabeth Sara EnglandKennedy Performing the Label "LD": An Ethnography of U.S. Undergraduates with Learning Disabilities and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Ana Ortiz . Date / lo / >00 X Mark Nichter Date siparna Bhasltaran Date Date Date Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. Dissertation Director Date 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: i 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to everyone who has supported me and helped this specific project along the way. I especially want to thank Ana Ortiz, Pamela McKenzie, and Supama Bhaskaran for maldng it possible for me to complete this project. Without you, it wouldn't have gotten done. Without your insights, it would have said considerably less. Thanks to Kali Strand and Maya Philipson for all your insights and careful consideration.. .and Maya, for the many times you've read versions of this along the way. Your suggestions and guidance are deeply appreciated. Thanks to Jim EnglandKennedy, who was there 24-7 with encouragement, bolstering, and a good sense of humor. A deeper thanks than I can express to Mark Nichter, who first introduced me to Medical Anthropology. Without you, I wouldn't be who I am today. Thanks for everything. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 12 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: THE STAGE AND THE PERFORMERS 14 A Brief Definition ofLP 17 Demographics 20 Cultural Skepticism and Social Costs 22 International Aspects nf f.D 26 f.D as n TLS. Cultural Phenomenon 27 The Political Economy of Diagnosis in the U.S.: A Reflection of Cultural Values 30 Personalized Framings nf f.D: An Overview 32 Legally-Sanctioned Accommodations 34 Professor-Student Communications and Negotiations 36 Endnotes to Chapter 1 42 CHAPTER 2 SETTING THE STAGE: AN OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF DISABILITY AND RELEVANT AMERICAN VALUES 44 1600s. 1700s. 46 1800s 48 Transition years: I800s-I900s 57 1910s. 1920s 59 Early Media Portrayals of Disability and Relevant Theory 61 mOs 65 1940s 67 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued Transition: I940s-I950s 69 1950s 71 1950s Continued: The Development of Vaccines 72 1950s Continued: The Rise of Agency and Advocacy 73 1960s 76 The 1960s Continued: Civil Rights 78 1960s Continued: Media Representations 80 1970s 81 1970s Continued: Civil Rights Activism for and by Persons with Disabilities 83 1970s Continued: Media Representations 90 1980s 92 1980s Continued: Government Actions and Advocacy 93 1990s 98 1990s Continued: Media Representations 106 Endnotes to Chapter 2 108 CHAPTER 3 SETTING THE STAGE PART H: AN OVERVIEW OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPTS OF LD AND AD Ill Phase I: Foundations (1800-1930) 114 Phase I Continued: 10 Testing and Other Psvchometrics 118 Phase I Continued: Medical Research 126 Phase II: Transition (1930-1960) 130 "Brain Inwrv " and f.D 131 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued Phase III: Integration fl960-todav) 138 Phase III Continued: Educational Practices and Philosophies 140 Phase III Continued: Commercialization in the 1970s and Forward 142 Phase III Continued: The Formalization of AD as a Diapiostic Category 144 Media Representations of LP and AD 147 Endnotes to Chapter 3 153 CHAPTER 4 SEEKING THE SCRIPTS: FIELD SITES AND METHODS 156 Participant Observation 157 Research Sites 159 Overview: Cultural Framings of School in the U.S. 159 Unrversitv of Arizona 166 The SAL T Program 172 Antioch College 174 The Academic Support Center 180 Requirements 180 The Third "C:" Community 182 LP at Antioch 184 Other Methods 186 Life History Interviews 186 Interviewee Recruitment 187 Additional Methods of Pata Collection 189 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued Endnotes to Chapter 4 193 CHAPTER 5 SETTING THE STAGE PART IH: THE MEDICALIZATION AND CULTURAL FRAMINGS OF LD 195 Framings and Meanings of Disability 195 Sociogenic Framings 197 Medical/Biological Framings: An overview 207 Medical Framings of Dyslexia 210 Signs and Symptoms 210 Locating Dyslexia in the Body 215 Genetic Evidence Produced to Indicate Biological Heritabilitv of Dyslexia 216 Neuroanatomical and Neurophysiolo^cal Hypotheses 217 "Inner Ear Dysfunction " as a Cause of Dyslexia 223 Medical and Other Biological Framings of AD 225 Introduction: Definition of AD 225 Genetic Evidence Produced to Indicate Biological Heritabilitv 227 Neuroanatomical and Neurophysiolosical Hypotheses 229 Environmental Toxins 236 EvolutionarvHvpothesis 239 Other Alternatives 241 Medical and Other Biological Framings of Other LD 242 An Overall Critique of Medical Framings 244 Conclusion 249 9 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued Endnotes to Chapter 5 251 CHAPTER 6 THE POWER OF NAMING: MEDICALIZATION AND THE DIAGNOSTIC LABEL 254 SocioculturalPrerequisites for Medicalization 255 The Process ofMedicalization 259 Cultural Values Relevant to the Medicalization of LP 261 Diagnosis: Introduction 265 The Process of Dia^osis 269 Residts of the Diaenostic Procedure 278 Endnotes to Chapter 6 286 CHAPTER 7 MASQUES AND FACES: IDENTITY AND PERSONAL FRAMINGS OF LD 289 Key Terms 290 Identity: Social Others as Mirrors 293 Timing of the Diaenostic Process 300 Early Dia^osis 300 Diaptosis Purine College 305 Personal Framings nf T.D: Reflections of Overarching Cultural Models 312 Personal Framings of IT) 315 Endnotes to Chapter 7 331 CHAPTER 8 ENTER THE PROFESSOR, STAGE RIGHT: PROFESSORS AND STUDENTS IN INTERACTION 334 Organizational Structures and Professor Roles 335 10 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued Professors' Generalized Views of Students 338 Professors' Views nf TP 344 Service Provider-Professor Communications 347 Interactions Between Professors and Students 356 Professor-Student Negotiations 358 Disclosure of Labeled Status as "Diagnosed with fl)" 359 Requests for Task or Other Class Alterations 373 Conclusion 381 Endnotes to Chapter 8 382 CHAPTER 9 PERFORMING SOLO AND WITH THE CHORUS: COPING STRATEGIES AND TACTICS 386 Performance and the