The Role of the Intellectual in Minority Group Studies: Reflections on Deaf Studies in Social and Political Contexts

The role and position of minority group intellectuals in the social sciences has been the subject of some research and debate, but not, until recently, within the field of Deaf studies. In this article, we will explore the role of the Deaf intellectual in their relations to the academic field and the Deaf community. We offer a critique of the prevailing theoretical framework of postmodernism and an alternative approach based on critical theory and Bourdieusian frameworks. There is a dearth of literature in the area, and this article is intended to initiate a much-needed discussion, including scholars within disciplines such as sociology, political science, cultural studies, and critical theory