From Hope to Expectation: Disability Studies Event with Dr. Michele Friedner

The Disability Studies Programs welcome Dr. Michele Friedner for our spring special topics lecture, From Hope to Expectation: Habilitation & Cochlear Implants in India. Dr. Friedner is a medical anthropologist in the Department of Comparative Human Development at the University of Chicago.

Renowned for her research on disability and deafness as categories and experiences, Dr. Friedner will bring to life her research trajectory, illustrating her earlier work and moving from stigma to different kinds of value in relation to disability. She will explore new programs in India and elsewhere that are focused on cochlear implantation and what those mean for familial and societal expectations, particularly in relation to what is "normal." Through the discussion, she will encourage the audience to think about the difference between habilitation and rehabilitation and the stakes of both.