Coexistence of solidarity and non freedom : Everyday life of a person with mental disability in totalitarian Czechoslovakia
Abstract
The Theses exoplore the value of mutuality, individual sense of belonging and group solidarity in totaliarian Czechoslovakia; it defines the scientific framework for the individual aproaches towards the phenomena of intellectual disabilityin the context of majority view on the differentness within the communist society. The results of the research implay, thet the social perceiving of the intellectual disability as an equaltorm of living , and its presentation in the public space , takes part in defining the sense of recognitionfor boath the intellectually disabled and tehir closed ones.
They also reflect permanent dispute of the indifference and the sense of belonging, which is to a large extent dependent on the social structure and the understanding of the labelling "mental retardation" as being an unjust stigmatization. Working on these results it is possible to formulate the fundamental research task of our field: "How is it possible, within the field of special education, to decrease the parent s concerns, specifically within th econtext of their human rights?" I believe the solution lies in the understanding of the intellectually disabled and their aging parents needs through the sense of belongigng and the emphasis on the persons s dignity.