Abstract

CORDEIRO, Mariana Prioli. Activism and disability: a study on the meanings of independent living. Psicol. rev. (Belo Horizonte) [online]. 2009, vol.15, n.2, pp. 114-131. ISSN 1677-1168.

The goal of this study was to identify the repertoires used by activists of the Independent Living Movement to convey the meaning of independent living. Documents of public domain produced by those activists, including books, websites, advertisement material and institutional papers, were reviewed, and two focal groups were created for analysis. The conclusion of the analysis identified the repertories used to convey the concept of independent living as independence, autonomy, empowerment, self-determination, participation and equal opportunity. Moreover, independent living was understood as praxis, in other words, as the process of transforming theoretical knowledge into practice. The use of those repertories indicates that the activists seek recognition as social actors, that is, they wish to be actively involved in society and control their own lives.

Keywords : independent living movement; interpretative repertoire; independent living.

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