MobileDeaf research project, the fieldwork begins
TigerDeafie I’m giving this blog a kiss of life, it’s had a nice long rest. I have also just posted a BSL youtube video aimed at deaf migrants in London and wanted to expand to a wider audience. The inspiration for the revival is the new MobileDeaf research project that commenced last May 2017 and of which […]
Thu, Mar 08 2018

Letter to UK Border Agency re: Lawand Hamadamin, age 6
TigerDeafie UK Border Agency East Midlands Reporting Centre 10 South Street Loughborough LE11 3EY   Monday 2 January 2017   Dear Sir/Madam, Re: Lawand Hamadamin I am writing (in a personal capacity) against the deportation of 6-year-old Lawand Hamadamin and his family. They must leave the UK on or after 9th January 2017 or face deportation. […]
Tue, Jan 03 2017
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“De-Sign Bilingual”: bimodal bilingual...
TigerDeafie It is has been way too long since I wrote an entry to this blog! My last entry was in early 2015, a submission to support the BSL Bill in Scotland, which eventually passed, and my latest entry is about developing and documenting Sign Bilingual best practice in schools. The authors write: “everywhere in Europe […]
Mon, Oct 24 2016

BSL (Scotland) Bill submission
TigerDeafie Submission of Evidence BSL (Scotland) Bill; response by Dr Steven Emery Introduction – who am I? I am bilingual in BSL and English, deaf since the age of 4 and my preferred language is BSL. I work as an Assistant Professor at Heriot Watt University, lecturing on the MA (Hons) British Sign Language (Interpreting, Translating […]
Mon, Feb 02 2015

A story for Palestine
TigerDeafie It’s a horror show nobody can walk away from. A crime obvious to all except those with the power to put a stop to it. For some it’s a carnival of carnage. To complete the surrealism, all it needs is an orchestra, a people playing violins, a song of sadness sung by a choir made […]
Sat, Jan 31 2015

Barranquilla Protesta por Gaza
TigerDeafie Barranquilla, Colombia, jueves 17 julio 2014 En la Plaza de la Paz en Barranquilla un evento sombrío y simbólico tuvo lugar condenar la acción de Israel contra el pueblo palestino de Gaza. Ese mismo día el embajador palestino de Colombia, Raouf Almalki, pronunció un discurso ante una conferencia de prensa; su discurso fue traducido y […]
Sat, Jan 31 2015

Event: ‘Bridging the gap: Are Deaf and hearing...
TigerDeafie Following my previous entry, Nicola Nunn and the University of Central Lancashire will be hosting an event to discuss the points from the two Qualitative Inquiry articles. I’m hoping for a good turn out and a lively, open debate!   Topic: ‘Bridging the gap: Are Deaf and hearing collaborations in academia really working?‘   When?     […]
Sat, Jan 31 2015

A story for Palestine
TigerDeafie It’s a horror show nobody can walk away from. A crime obvious to all except those with the power to put a stop to it. For some it’s a carnival of carnage. To complete the surrealism, all it needs is an orchestra, a people playing violins, a song of sadness sung by a choir made […]
Fri, Aug 01 2014
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Barranquilla Protesta por Gaza
TigerDeafie Barranquilla, Colombia, jueves 17 julio 2014 En la Plaza de la Paz en Barranquilla un evento sombrío y simbólico tuvo lugar condenar la acción de Israel contra el pueblo palestino de Gaza. Ese mismo día el embajador palestino de Colombia, Raouf Almalki, pronunció un discurso ante una conferencia de prensa; su discurso fue traducido y […]
Sat, Jul 19 2014

Event: ‘Bridging the gap: Are Deaf and hearing...
TigerDeafie Following my previous entry, Nicola Nunn and the University of Central Lancashire will be hosting an event to discuss the points from the two Qualitative Inquiry articles. I’m hoping for a good turn out and a lively, open debate!   Topic: ‘Bridging the gap: Are Deaf and hearing collaborations in academia really working?‘   When?     […]
Thu, Feb 27 2014

Discussion points: at the intersection
TigerDeafie Our article was intended to provoke debate, so thanks to everyone who has contributed so far. Putting aside access issues for the time being, I really feel the need to bring discussion to the article. Mainly also because some of the contributions are going into areas which I feel are not quite ‘getting it’, as […]
Tue, Jan 28 2014

Our newly published article out now: Deaf academics and...
TigerDeafie The long awaited article written by Dai O’Brien and I is now available online, in the latest issue of Qualitative Inquiry. It feels poignant to read it now, the first draft was written towards the end of 2011, two years ago. At that time, the Centre for Deaf Studies, Bristol was under threat, and it […]
Thu, Jan 23 2014

They told me I was taking a big risk moving to...
TigerDeafie …it was the risk of wanting to stay. I fell for it, and stayed. Or rather, I fell for Paula, and upped sticks and moved over to be with her. Permanently. Granted it took a while to get my head round the decision. And it sometimes feels unreal – am I really here? Did I […]
Thu, Oct 31 2013

Culture and active citizenship
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Mon, Oct 07 2013

Culture and Active Citizenship
TigerDeafie It was great to see Lillian Lawson and Brenda Hamlin give strong and meaningful presentations related to citizenship at the BDA conference last weekend. Nope, I didn’t get to fly in to Derby from Barranquilla, nor watch it streamed live – I couldn’t manage a 4am wake up, so watched them later on and got […]
Mon, Oct 07 2013

Action on Hearing Loss (AoHL): supporting eugenics?
TigerDeafie So the latest annual report of AoHL is out! This report, like many, may not excite people and I may risk coming across as something of a nerd to subject it to analysis, but I have my reasons.   A question I asked on reading it was: is AoHL strengthening its eugenics tendencies?   The […]
Thu, Sep 19 2013

Colombia 1 Ecuador 0: being there
TigerDeafie I have never been to a match like it and doubt I ever will do so again. What memories to cherish! Firstly though, I was fortunate enough to acquire two tickets for the match, just three days before. The result of being able to find willing sellers: I paid COP340,000 for two tickets worth COP […]
Sun, Sep 08 2013

The Rivers of Barranquilla*
TigerDeafie It does rain heavy in the city. But only torrential rainfalls, no piffling spitting and short showers here. Nothing quite prepared me for what I witnessed yesterday though. In the evening, it poured and poured and poured, relentlessly, and soon, not only was water dripping into the flat in all kinds of places (except the […]
Wed, Sep 04 2013

A human ‘Iguana’ in Colombia, and why bridges...
TigerDeafie “Iguana, Iguana, Iguana!” the little girl shouted, pointing to me. I laughed and bought a little bracelet off her for 1,000 pesos. I’m living amongst Mohawk-reptiles, bats, wild parrots, many other bird species, and ants. Zillions of them. They populate the dwellings of Cali, Barranquilla, and right here, invading kitchens and pouncing at anything sweet. […]
Mon, Aug 19 2013

Genetic nightmares: is the battle being lost?
TigerDeafie Because my reply to a Facebook friend’s post was too long, it has been turned into a blog entry. To try to paraphrase the original message: the near future is looking like this: Genetic testing isn’t going to focus on single genes any more, but to test all 20 or so thousand genes in our […]
Wed, Aug 14 2013

So farewell then, Centre for Deaf Studies, Bristol
TigerDeafie I guess the end is in sight No-one can say it went down without a fight. It was nice knowing you (from 2008 until 2012). Arriving full of hope and dreams of expansion and staying on long term, the crisis hit and the opposite direction unravelled. I gained great life-long friends and fond memories of […]
Thu, Jul 25 2013

Is the end in sight for the Centre for Deaf Studies,...
TigerDeafie It would be very sad if the Centre is closed, as indicated by the blog: Save Deaf Studies. But I see they are not giving up without a fight. So I’ve done my bit by composing and sending the following letter to the Vice Chancellor.   Dear Professor Eric Thomas   It was with great […]
Tue, Jul 02 2013

Collective minority group rights: some considerations
TigerDeafie In this post (which is a bit long I’m afraid. and unavoidably abstract in places), I write about collective minority group rights*.  This entry follows my viewing of the BDA/DCAL event [19th March 2013] to mark the 10-year anniversary of British Sign Language (BSL) ‘recognition’. As I wrote in my previous entry, the event has [...]
Mon, Mar 25 2013

Ten years on: from BSL recogition to ‘Spit the...
TigerDeafie So, here we are. Ten years ago to the day, the UK government ‘recognises’ BSL. Six years after the Federation of Deaf People (FDP) was set up, which kick-started a political campaign to fight for recognition, here came the announcement.  £1m was thrown in to support the statement (later increased to £1.5m); it was allocated [...]
Mon, Mar 18 2013

The show goes on: Deafhood and Genetics – Part 1
TigerDeafie After a successful conference on Saturday 10th November, ‘Sleepwalking into Eugenics?’ and the end of our Deafhood and Genetics project, the time feels right to try and pull a few things together.[1] [3] There have been two reports recently in the news regarding genetic experiments on mice and gerbils, both of which have been discussed [...]
Fri, Dec 07 2012

Eugenics in the news and our research dissemination...
TigerDeafie Some genetics/eugenics news : just to remind us all that eugenic developments remain real. [Thanks to Alison, Bob and Tony for these] Article 1, entitled : ‘Three-parent IVF’ could combat genetic disease. It’s about a DNA test; you can find any ‘genetic condition’ and replace the DNA in the egg with somebody else’s. Opens the [...]
Wed, Aug 29 2012

The meaning of ‘harm’, and indigenous...
TigerDeafie Time for a recap : I've been buried in writing up a bid (now finished), and during the process I was sent what I think is a really important article, written in the ‘Harm Reduction Journal'. (With absolutely massive thanks to Dr Hilary Sutherland for passing on to me.) Now, I tried to write on [...]
Sat, Jun 02 2012

Colombia holiday – part 2, vignettes from an English...
TigerDeafie Purely holiday entry here! Photos below. Time passing, memory in danger of forgetting, so I try vignettes. Well, first of all it's spelt ColOmbia, not ColUmbia, as they have put in the Olympics 2012 programme grrr...! (p.s. I'm supporting Colombia Women's Football team, yay, got tickets to see them during the 2012 Olympics!) Some pics [...]
Wed, May 02 2012

Colombia experiencias de talleres de FENASCOL (versión...
TigerDeafie Gracias de corazón a Paula Vargas, para la traducción al español (Heartfelt thanks to Paula Vargas for the translation to Spanish) Al llegar a Bogotá (el 24 de marzo), P y yo nos dirigimos al hostal que habíamos reservado con bastante anterioridad. Al llegar al lugar nos enteramos de que nuestra habitación había sido asignada [...]
Sun, Apr 22 2012

Colombia experiences – FENASCOL workshops (English...
TigerDeafie [¡Versión en español muy pronto! Spanish version coming soon!] On arriving at Bogotá (on 24 March), P and I headed for our pre-booked hostel only to find it had been given to another party. Miffed, we went to stay with her sister, M – that remained our base for the six days we were in [...]
Sun, Apr 22 2012

Donna West book launch, 25th April – a correction
TigerDeafie A quick correction to my earlier entry. Donna West's book, entitled: “Signs of Hope: Deafhearing Family Life”, isn't a joint-publication it is Donna's work. Just also to clarify the book launch is at the Graduate School for Education (which is separate from the Centre for Deaf Studies).  The launch is in room 410 at 35 [...]
Wed, Apr 18 2012

Social science and humanities academics – dawning of...
TigerDeafie The week before I took a much needed holiday I received a Deaf studies related doctorate and news of a new publication.  I'm eager to take time out to sign (yes, not sing!) the praises of the latest research work, but also to throw forward a suggestion that we are living through the potential ‘dawning [...]
Sun, Apr 01 2012

Signstation Plus newsletter update
TigerDeafie In an earlier post I wrote about the signstation, which was launched in 2005 by University of Bristol Centre for Deaf Studies to provide quality learning resources for people who work alongside Deaf people. I wrote, back on March 1st,  that CDS has developed Signstation Plus, a new development from University of Bristol Centre for [...]
Thu, Mar 22 2012

Signstation Relaunch and new Signstation Plus website to...
TigerDeafie I'm really pleased and proud (as a Centre for Deaf Studies employee) to announce two really exciting websites! The first is Signstation: a FREE website where you can learn about British Sign Language and Deaf people. The second is Signstation Plus: an e-learning (online) course on BSL, from beginning to Independent learner ! The course [...]
Fri, Mar 02 2012

Bristol CC Health and Social Care Meeting with Deaf...
TigerDeafie For your information: a chance to have your say/sign and see what Bristol City Council's Health and Social Care dept have to say about the future of services to Deaf people in Bristol and also the Bristol Centre for Deaf people : information below is being passed on... Date:              Wednesday 7th March Time:             6.00pm [....
Tue, Feb 28 2012

BSL version of Interim Group Report
TigerDeafie The report that was put up from the Interim Working Group was all in English: there is now a BSL copy available on the website. It is late, but hope the issues become more widely accessible. All comments are welcome. Interim Working Group meeting is Feb 1st, from 6pm at Bristol Deaf Centre. The AGM [...]
Mon, Feb 27 2012

Urgent: Bristol Deaf Centre sale and closure imminent!
TigerDeafie So it's official re: the seriousness of the situation of the Bristol Deaf Centre, which faces imminent closure, as reported by the Evening Post just before Xmas. This follows an article by Charlie Swinbourne recently on the woes being faced by Bristol Deaf people – which is, to put it metaphorically, a large pair of [...]
Mon, Feb 27 2012

Bristol Centre for Deaf People meeting: high passions
TigerDeafie I attended an eventful (open public) meeting at Bristol Centre for Deaf People (BCDP) on Friday night. Am not going to do a ‘report', impossible, cos so much happened, but this is my brief ‘tweets' timeline as a way of summary: Emergency General Meeting was called to discuss cuts in services by Bristol City Council [...]
Mon, Feb 27 2012

Bristol Deaf Centre – clock ticking down
TigerDeafie Quick post here: the clock is fast ticking down... 8th February: Annual General Meeting of Bristol Deaf Centre (deadline for motions is Wednesday 25th January) 1st February: Open meeting of Interim Working Group: see the other blog for: a. information about 1st February meeting b. summary of information collected so far (in English, I understand [...]
Mon, Feb 27 2012