Thriving in confinement with functional diversity: The role of technology and autoethnography
- Autores: Karen Anne Esther Hall
- Directores de la Tesis: Blanca Deusdad Ayala (dir. tes.)
- Lectura: En la Universitat Rovira i Virgili ( España ) en 2023
- Idioma: inglés
- Número de páginas: 144
- Tribunal Calificador de la Tesis: Francisco Javier Ortega Guerrero (presid.), Marta Díaz Boladeras (secret.), Tomas Sivicek (voc.)
- Programa de doctorado: Programa de Doctorado en Antropología y Comunicación por la Universidad Rovira i Virgili
- Materias:
- Enlaces
- Tesis en acceso abierto en: TDX
- Resumen
- español
El objetivo de este estudio ha sido dar voz a las personas nacidas con discapacidad física al examinar su propia experiencia de supervivencia durante el encierro, esbozando una serie de recursos (psicológicos, económicos y tecnológicos) que utilizaron para trabajar, comunicarse y hacerse fuertes. La metodología cualitativa utilizada se basó en los análisis temático de los comentarios de los vídeos de YouTube y de las fuentes de Internet durante la pandemia y el cierre de Covid-19 y en mi propia autoetnografía. Los resultados muestran que las personas con discapacidades incluso prosperaron en situaciones difíciles si comprendieron su fuerza, cuando se les proporcionaron los recursos económicos adecuados y cuando tuvieron la suficiente habilidad para utilizar las herramientas tecnológicas. Las conclusiones más destacadas de esta exploración (personal) se refieren a los beneficios de la tecnología como herramienta de apoyo entre iguales y al valor de la autoetnografía para la construcción de la resiliencia y la agencia individuales.
- català
L'objectiu d'aquest estudi ha estat donar veu a les persones nascudes amb discapacitat física en examinar la seva pròpia experiència de supervivència durant la tancada, esbossant una sèrie de recursos (psicològics, econòmics i tecnològics) que van utilitzar per treballar, comunicar-se i fer-se forts. La metodologia qualitativa utilitzada es va basar en les anàlisis temàtiques dels comentaris dels vídeos de YouTube i de les fonts d'Internet durant la pandèmia i el tancament de Covid-19 i en la meva autoetnografia. Els resultats mostren que les persones amb discapacitats fins i tot van prosperar en situacions difícils si van comprendre la seva força, quan se'ls van proporcionar els recursos econòmics adequats i quan van tenir prou habilitat per utilitzar les eines tecnològiques. Les conclusions més destacades d'aquesta exploració (personal) fan referència als beneficis de la tecnologia com a eina de suport entre iguals i al valor de l'autoetnografia per a la construcció de la resiliència i l'agència individuals.
- English
Karen A. E. Hall is a PhD student with functional disabilities (the candidate uses two trans-tibial prosthetic legs and has a congenital amputated palm) from Guyana. This personal situation made her adaptation to the new country and the new academic context slower due to her functional disabilities. Not to mention, how hard was for her to be locked-down when she has just began settling down and have social and academic relationships. She also had some health problems, that made it difficult for her working always full time.
Apart from the personal side, her dissertation was also affected due to the difficulties to carry out her fieldwork. Her thesis changed from a monograph to a thesis by compilation of articles, which implied more time, due to the fact that she had to write three papers that had to be, afterwards accepted for publication. The purpose of the thesis also changed as her interest were also reoriented towards the need to speak up how people with functional disabilities suffered Covid-19 and the first lockdown, and in turn, the health consequences that this implied.
Therefore, it was agreed to change her PhD project and to focus it on how people with disabilities lived the Covid-19 pandemic and the role that technology plaid in improving their Quality of Life (major social contacts, alleviating isolation and being able to share with the peer group their experiences and get support, amongst others). The final objective of this study has been to give voice to people born with physical disability in examining their own experience of survival during the lockdown by outlining a variety of resources (psychological, economic, and technological) they used for working, communicating and building strength.
The qualitative methodology used were based on internet sources and an her autoethnography. The latter, become a powerful research technique which permitted that important constant features in life, resilient building emerged of her biography. A thematic analysis of comments on YouTube videos and Internet sources during the pandemic and lockdown for Covid-19 led to important findings that affect people with functional diversity and, in turn, visualized their situations of discrimination and pain.
Results show that people with disabilities even flourished in difficult situations if they understood their strength, when provided with right economical resources and when sufficiently skilled to use technological tools. The most prominent findings of this (personal) exploration refer to the benefits of technology as a peer support tool in front of situations of health crisis, discrimination and isolation, as well as the value of autoethnography for the building of individual resilience and agency.
- español
