Co-Constructed Auto/Biographies in Dwarfism Mothering Research: Imagining Opportunities for Social Justice

Kelly-Mae Saville

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-31974-8_27

Co-Constructed Auto/Biographies in Dwarfism Mothering Research: Imagining Opportunities for Social Justice

Research output: Chapter in Book/Published conference output › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

Abstract

In this chapter, I reflect on my experiences as an average statured mother to a child with dwarfism, researching within the community. The notion of justice is intrinsically tied into our social constructions of humanity and what it means to be human. As a researcher, I question whether dwarfism could ever be separated from the exploitative historical and cultural portrayals which have plagued and blighted our fight for social justice both inside and outside of the community. In this chapter, I explore intrusive interactions with ‘outsiders’ which reinforce my fears that the Dwarf body is seen as problematic and in need of ‘normalisation’. This chapter is therefore an auto/biographical reflection of my blurred identities as a mother/researcher and my personal pursuit of social justice.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	The Palgrave MacMillan Handbook of Auto/Biography
Editors	Julie Parsons, Anne Chappell
Place of Publication	Houndmills
Publisher	Palgrave Macmillan
Chapter	10
Pages	633-656
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-030-31974-8
ISBN (Print)	978-3-030-31973-1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31974-8_27
Publication status	Published - 29 Apr 2020

Keywords

Dwarfism
Mothering
Disabled identities
Achondroplasia
BioMarin
Drug trials

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-030-31974-8_27

Cite this

@inbook{4d66f587636e4daba572eed3ae564fe8,

title = "Co-Constructed Auto/Biographies in Dwarfism Mothering Research: Imagining Opportunities for Social Justice",

abstract = "In this chapter, I reflect on my experiences as an average statured mother to a child with dwarfism, researching within the community. The notion of justice is intrinsically tied into our social constructions of humanity and what it means to be human. As a researcher, I question whether dwarfism could ever be separated from the exploitative historical and cultural portrayals which have plagued and blighted our fight for social justice both inside and outside of the community. In this chapter, I explore intrusive interactions with {\textquoteleft}outsiders{\textquoteright} which reinforce my fears that the Dwarf body is seen as problematic and in need of {\textquoteleft}normalisation{\textquoteright}. This chapter is therefore an auto/biographical reflection of my blurred identities as a mother/researcher and my personal pursuit of social justice.",

keywords = "Dwarfism, Mothering, Disabled identities, Achondroplasia, BioMarin, Drug trials",

author = "Kelly-Mae Saville",

year = "2020",

month = apr,

day = "29",

doi = "10.1007/978-3-030-31974-8_27",

language = "English",

isbn = "978-3-030-31973-1",

pages = "633--656",

editor = "Julie Parsons and Anne Chappell",

booktitle = "The Palgrave MacMillan Handbook of Auto/Biography",

publisher = "Palgrave Macmillan",

}

Co-Constructed Auto/Biographies in Dwarfism Mothering Research: Imagining Opportunities for Social Justice. / Saville, Kelly-Mae.
The Palgrave MacMillan Handbook of Auto/Biography. ed. / Julie Parsons; Anne Chappell. Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan, 2020. p. 633-656.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Published conference output › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - Co-Constructed Auto/Biographies in Dwarfism Mothering Research: Imagining Opportunities for Social Justice

AU - Saville, Kelly-Mae

PY - 2020/4/29

Y1 - 2020/4/29

N2 - In this chapter, I reflect on my experiences as an average statured mother to a child with dwarfism, researching within the community. The notion of justice is intrinsically tied into our social constructions of humanity and what it means to be human. As a researcher, I question whether dwarfism could ever be separated from the exploitative historical and cultural portrayals which have plagued and blighted our fight for social justice both inside and outside of the community. In this chapter, I explore intrusive interactions with ‘outsiders’ which reinforce my fears that the Dwarf body is seen as problematic and in need of ‘normalisation’. This chapter is therefore an auto/biographical reflection of my blurred identities as a mother/researcher and my personal pursuit of social justice.

AB - In this chapter, I reflect on my experiences as an average statured mother to a child with dwarfism, researching within the community. The notion of justice is intrinsically tied into our social constructions of humanity and what it means to be human. As a researcher, I question whether dwarfism could ever be separated from the exploitative historical and cultural portrayals which have plagued and blighted our fight for social justice both inside and outside of the community. In this chapter, I explore intrusive interactions with ‘outsiders’ which reinforce my fears that the Dwarf body is seen as problematic and in need of ‘normalisation’. This chapter is therefore an auto/biographical reflection of my blurred identities as a mother/researcher and my personal pursuit of social justice.

KW - Dwarfism

KW - Mothering

KW - Disabled identities

KW - Achondroplasia

KW - BioMarin

KW - Drug trials

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-030-31974-8_27

DO - 10.1007/978-3-030-31974-8_27

M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)

SN - 978-3-030-31973-1

SP - 633

EP - 656

BT - The Palgrave MacMillan Handbook of Auto/Biography

A2 - Parsons, Julie

A2 - Chappell, Anne

PB - Palgrave Macmillan

CY - Houndmills

ER -

Co-Constructed Auto/Biographies in Dwarfism Mothering Research: Imagining Opportunities for Social Justice

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this