The Identity Dynamics of People with Disabilities: A Study in Brazil and in the United States
Keywords:
Identity. Identity dynamics. People with disabilities. Work. Organization.Abstract
Diversity is a very complex and controversial issue. It embraces the so-called "minorities", not in numerical terms but in terms of power. Although there are advances in this discussion, including in the legislation, there are still gaps when it comes to work for these minorities. For this paper, we chose among the minorities, people with disabilities (PWDs), because according to the International Labour Organization (2009), they represent 10% of the world population, among which approximately 72% are in the working age. This way, the objective of this paper was to understand the identity dynamics of PWDs inserted in work organizations, located in Brazil and in the United States. To this end, we elaborated a theoretical framework mainly based on the identity from a sociological approach by Dubar (2005). We opted for an exploratory and qualitative research, based on an interpretive approach. The techniques of data collection used were: semi-structured interviews and documentary research. Interviews were conducted with twelve PWDs in Brazil and eight in the United States, men and women. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed through content analysis. The analysis made it possible to note that both in Brazil and in the United States, there are a range of laws aimed to ensure the rights to the PWDs, but the effectiveness of these laws, in both countries, is questionable. In both countries the work of the PWDs interviewed appeared as an important tool to give meaning to their lives. Moreover, one of the main barriers faced by the PWD interviewed in relation to employment was the disability itself. Thus, it was noticed a conflict between who they are and who they think they should be in order to work. It was observed that the individual's identity is a result of the movements of construction and reconstruction of their (many) identities and that the individual cannot identify itself only with his eyes, but he needs to see through someone’s else’s eyes.
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