Integrative Practice: Oral History, Dress and Disability Studies
Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton
E-mail: ejl102{at}soton.ac.uk
 |
Abstract |
|---|
Oral history practices form a highly suitable methodology for approaching the ‘inter-discipline’ formed between the fields of the history of dress studies and disability studies. Oral history methods have the potential to respond to calls within both fields to reincorporate the body into the academic sphere; to highlight larger, neglected historical themes and perspectives; to foster the concept of disability itself as an analytical tool for design history; and for those who are working to reclaim the cultural and design history of disability. Sensitive use of this informed approach allows for experiential dimensions to be located at the core of research in this area and for the complexities and contradictions inherent in culturally determined concepts to be both acknowledged and interpreted at many stages during the research process. Inherently inclusive in practice, it is a method that responds well to being practised in conjunction with other research methodologies, and as this paper suggests, offers an opportunity for adopting collaborative research in this hybrid area.
Key Words: design history • disability • dress • embodied experience • identity • oral history
1 Two examples: J. O. Yep, ‘Tools for Aiding Physically Disabled Individuals Increase Independence in Dressing’, Journal of Rehabilitation, vol. 43, no. 6, pp. 39–41; and, E. H. Ahrbeck & S. E. Friend, ‘Clothing: An Asset or Liability? Designing for Specialized Needs’, Rehabilitation Literature, vol. 37, 1976, pp. 295–6.
2 For example: M. Thoren, ‘Systems Approach to Clothing for Disabled Users: Why is it Difficult for Disabled Users to Find Suitable Clothing?’, Applied Ergonomics, vol. 27, 1996, pp. 389–96.
3 For example: M. M. Ward, ‘Self-help Fashions for the Physically Disabled Child’, American Journal of Nursing, vol. 58, 1958, pp. 526–7.
4 There is occasional work published in the American-based International Textile and Apparel Association's journal, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal in this area.
5 Considerations of how disabled people interact with dress include various London College of Fashion projects: undergraduate fashion management student project, May 2004; requests for disabled interviewees for an undergraduate project on the Disabled Living Foundation website, http://www.dlf.org.uk/, accessed 23 May 2003; current doctoral work centred on inclusive knitwear design.
6 An MA dissertation, based at the Centre for the History of Textiles and Dress, Winchester School of Art and supported with a small bursary from the Textile Society.
7 Initial interview contacts were made through Disability Action in the London Borough of Barnet, the local branch of a large national umbrella organization run by disabled people, the British Council of Disabled People, who dealt with my request with speed and enthusiasm. This led to a series of oral history interviews conducted in various locations in North and Central London, between March and June 2004, with nine adults on the theme of their realities of dressing and their relationships with clothes. I was keen that control over whom I approached for interview remained with disabled people themselves, with some contacts being made via the initial set of interviewees, who sometimes referred me on to other potential contacts. All interviewees have given formal, written permission for use of their contributions. It was important to establish a degree of confidentiality from the start of the project for several reasons.
8 Interview 04/04, 25 March 2004, Finchley.
9 Interview 04/10, 26 June 2004, Golders Green.
10 Interview 04/06, 01 April 2004, North London.
11 Interview 04/08, 08 April 2004, Golders Green.
12 Interview 04/07, 02 April 2004, Hendon.
13 Interview 04/04, 25 March 2004, Finchley Central.
14 See, for instance, Ann M. Gamwell & Florence Joyce, A Survey of Problems of Clothing for the Sick and Disabled both in Hospital and in the Community, ([n.p.]: Central Council for the Disabled, Disabled Living Activities Group, 1966), Disabled Living Foundation, How to Adapt Existing Clothing for the Disabled ([n.p]: Disabled Living Foundation, 1971) and Gillian Forbes, Clothing for the Handicapped Child, ([n.p.]: [n.pub.], 1972).
15 Interview 04/05, 26 March 2004, Central London.
16 Interview 04/10, 26 June 2004, Golders Green.
17 K. Hirsch, ‘Culture and Disability: The Role of Oral History’, in R. Perks & A. Thompson (eds.), The Oral History Reader, Routledge, London, 1998; repr. 2003, p. 214.
21 R. Samuel & P. Thompson, ‘The Myths We Live By’, Routledge, 1990 in L. Taylor (ed.), The Study of Dress History, Manchester University Press, 2002, p. 244.
22 G. Biddle-Perry, ‘Bury Me in Purple Lurex: promoting a new dynamic between fashion and oral history’, Oral History, vol. 33, no. 1, 2005, p. 89.
23 S. B. Gluck & D. Patai, Women's Words: The Feminist Practice of Oral History, Routledge, London, 1991, p. 12.
24 Interview 04/09, 17 June 2004, Finchley.
26 Interview 04/08, 08 Mach 2004, Golders Green.
30 Interview 04/07, 02 Jul 04, Hendon.
31 See for instance: K. Lindgren, ‘Bodies in Trouble: Identity, Embodiment and Disability’, in B. G. Smith & B. Hutchison, Gendering Disability, Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ, 2004, pp. 145–65.
32 For instance, Joanne Entwistle's work on embodiment, e.g. J. Entwistle, The Fashioned Body, Polity Press, Cambridge, 2000, repr. 2002.
33 Interview 04/10, 26 Jun 04, Golders Green.
34 Interview 04/05, 26 Mar 04, Central London.
35 K. Hirsch, op. cit., p. 215.
36 S. Linton, Claiming Disability: Knowledge and identity, New York University Press, New York, 1998, p. 120. Also, Karen Hirsch, 1995, repr. 2003, makes the same claim for disability history, p. 214.
37 For various examples of how this policy became manifest see, for instance: British Broadcasting Company, BBC 2 series, The Disabled Century, Dir. D. Hevey, 1999; S. Humphries & P. Gordon, Out of Sight: The Experience of Disability, 1900–1950, Northcote House, Plymouth, 1992 and D. Atkinson, M. Jackson & J. Walmsley, Forgotten Lives: Exploring the History of Learning Disability, Bild, Kidderminster, 1997.
38 Interview 04/05, 26 Mar 04, Central London.
39 Interview 04/10, 26 Jun 04, Golders Green.
40 Interview 04/09, 17 Jun 04, Finchley.
41 Interview 04/05, 26 Mar 04, Central London.
42 See for instance, all three parts of the 1999 BBC 2 series, The Disabled Century, directed by David Hevey; also, J. Campling, Images of Ourselves; Women with Disabilities Talking, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, 1981; and S. Humphries & P. Gordon, op. cit.
43 A. M. Gamwell & F. Joyce, A Survey of Problems of Clothing for the Sick and Disabled Both in Hospital and in the Community, Central Council for the Disabled, [n.p.], 1966.
44 S. Hollingworth, Knitting and Crochet for the Physically Handicapped and Elderly, Batsford, London, 1981.
45 Disabled Living Foundation, All Dressed Up; A Guide to Choosing Clothes and Useful Dressing Techniques for Elderly People and People with Disabilities, Disabled Living Foundation, [London?], 1994.
46 This strategy was not used in the case of one interviewee who is blind.
47 R. W. Chase & M. D. Quinn, Design Without Limits: Designing and Sewing for Special Needs, Fairchild, New York, 2003 (previously published as M. D. Quinn & R. W. Chase, Simplicity's Design Without Limits: Designing and Sewing for Special Needs, Drexel University, Philadelphia, 1990).
48 Interview 04/04, 25 Mar 04, Finchley Central.
49 Interview 04/10, 26 Jun 04, Golders Green.
50 As her paper given at the ‘Enabling the Past: New Perspectives on the History of Disability’ conference (Manchester University, June 2005) demonstrated, Deborah Phillips’ work on ‘Older Women, Learning Difficulties and the Body’ has found a natural focus within clothing issues.
51 Interview 04/10, 26 Jun 04, Golders Green.
52 G. Biddle-Perry, op. cit., p. 88.
53 See Lou Taylor's discussion of work that has emerged from the Centre for North-West Regional Studies at Lancaster University, in L. Taylor, The Study of Dress History, Manchester University Press, Manchester, 2002, pp. 244–5.
54 K. Borland, "‘That's Not What I Said’: Interpretive Conflict in Oral Narrative Research’, in R. Perks & A. Thomson, The Oral History Reader, Routledge, 1998, repr. 2003, p. 321.
55 The project, Adorn Equip, was an example of how this historical short-sightedness can be creatively challenged; moving beyond even issues of representation, projects such as these suggest great potential for rethinking our cultural views of disability. See http://www.adornequip.co.uk for details.
56 Interview 04/05, 26 Mar 04, Central London.
57 Interview 04/06, 01 Apr 04, North London.
59 K. Hirsch, op. cit., p. 215.
60 K. Hirsch (2003: 218) cites the following as examples of this type of publication: S. Kleinfield, The Hidden Minority: A Profile of Handicapped Americans, Little, Brown & Company, Boston, 1977; M. Orlansky & W. Heward, Voices: Interviews with Handicapped People, Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company, Columbus, 1981; and A. Brightman, Ordinary Moments: The Disabled Experience, University Press, Baltimore, 1984.
61 K. Hirsch, op. cit., p. 218.
62 Testimony gathered during the interviews referred to the initial excitement generated by visual projects that involve disabled people, such as the high profile Dazed and Confused magazine photo-shoot co-produced by couture designer Alexander McQueen and fashion photographer Nick Knight in the October 1998 issue. The motivations, the funding and the way images like these are planned can be cited as evidence of social change and acceptance. Yet the initial excitement and potential for change of such projects were to be tempered in the long-term by a sense amongst some that, as in this instance, the fashion industry had exploited and trivialized disability, using it in a highly questionable manner as a provocative device to be quickly discarded once no longer edgy and suitably shocking; such forms carry the potential to be accused of epitomizing visual abuse and exploitation. Consequently, based on advice from an activist scholar in the disability studies field, my gut instinct from working with the interviewees and a strong desire to avoid colluding in (often inadvertently) oppressive image-making practices, I have not included here any existing imagery of disabled people.
63 Exhibition curated by Alistair O’Neill from the An Oral History of British Fashion collection of life story interviews held at British Library Sound Archive; ran from 11 November 2005 to 7 February 2006.
64 For example, the way selected oral history recordings in the recent ‘London Fashion: Fashion From Street to Catwalk’ exhibition at the Museum of London (29 October 2004–8 May 2005) added important layers of meaning to a predominantly visual media.
65 For example, the three-stage approach proposed by Jules Prown in J. Prown, ‘Mind in Matter: An Introduction to Material Culture Theory and Method’, in S. M. Pearce, Interpreting Objects and Collections, Routledge, London, 1994.
66 Centre for Disability Studies, University of Leeds website: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies, accessed 1 February 2004.