Translating Research into Action:
Empowering Disabled Women through
Emancipatory Research in a Chinese Society

Karen Ngai

Honorary Secretary, Association of Women with Disabilities Hong Kong
Hong Kong

Abstract Emancipatory research is highly commended by both disability activists and feminists for its enabling effects. The author therefore applies emancipatory research to a group of disabled women in a chinese society with the ultimate goals of empowerment and self-advocacy. As a result, the outcome is positive and encouraging, though challenges are also enconntered.

Introduction

The dual oppression of sexism and disablism has placed disabled women in an extremely marginalised position. Some writers (Deegan and Brooks, 1985; Fine and Asch, 1988; Morris, 1989, 1991, 1996; Lonsdale, 1990; Begum, 1992) assert that the experience of disabled women must be seen as an integral part of social, economic and political structures which serve to control their daily lives.

Although both the women's and disability movements have been going for a number of decades, it is only recently that there are studies highlighting the particular experiences and needs of disabled women (Deegan and Brooks, 1985; Fine and Asch, 1988; Morris, 1989, 1991; Lonsdale, 1990; Begum, 1992; Hillyer, 1993; Schaefer, 1995; Wendell, 1996; Castelnuovo and Guthrie, 1998; Williams and Nind, 1999; Atkinson and Walmsley, 2000; Tighe, 2001; Keilty and Connelly, 2001). Nevertheless, none of such work is found in Chinese societies. In view of this, a group of disabled women has attempted to launch similar work in Hong Kong with an aim to uncover the oppressed experience of disabled women in a Chinese society. However, the purpose of this paper is not to report the data and analysis of the study, instead it is going to introduce and illustrate the nature and application of emancipatory study to the target group of disabled women in a Chinese society. Before it moves on to describe the effect of the study, some contemporary views on disability research will be discussed first.

Disability Activists' Views Towards Research

Disability activists argue that the mainstream research subordinates or mariginalises the experience and self-determination of disabled people (Zarb, 1992). Since disability research always explains the problems that disabled people face as being caused by their individual impairments, the individual model of disability is hence reinforced (Oliver, 1983). Other writers also share Oliver's view. They maintain that a number of major investigations of disability matters are found to undermine the promotion of disabled people's rights (Abberley, 1992; Hirst and Baldwin, 1994; Gregory et al., 1996). Oliver (1992, p.102) further argues,

Disability research should not be seen as a set of technical, objective procedures carried out by experts but part of the struggle by disabled people to challenge the oppression they currently experience in their daily lives.

The research paradigm in which the academics often see themselves as 'expert' or 'knower' is strongly criticised by disability activists (Hunt, 1981; Finkelstein, 1980; Abberley, 1992, Oliver, 1992).

Abberley (1992, p.141) is very much dissatisfied that in a number of significant research studies, disabled people have been treated predominantly as 'passive research objects'. So, disabled people have called for a rejection of research based on individual and oppressive models of disability (Oliver, 1990; 1992; Abberley, 1992; Morris, 1992; Oliver, 1996; Barnes, 1997).

In view of the oppressive nature of disability research done in the past, it is found necessary to give disabled people as much control as possible in disability research including the questions it asks, the way it is investigated and over what happens to the eventual project outcomes. In fact, such an idea has been firmly established by some disability activists in recent years (Oliver, 1992, 1993; Barnes, 1996; French and Swain, 1997; Moore et al., 1998; Finkelstein, 1999; ).

Transformation in disability research has emerged since 1992 when disabled researchers and their non-disabled peers set out to radically change the basis of disability research production (Oliver, 1992; Barnes, 1992). Since then, many writers have been involved in the debate of disability research (Barnes, 1992; Oliver, 1992; Rioux and Bach, 1994; Clough and Barten, 1995; Shakespeare, 1996; Stone, 1997; Priestley, 1997). Currently, an emancipatory paradigm that is regarded as more relevant to the lives of disabled people in relation to disability research is proposed.

The Emancipatory Research Paradigm

Critical, emancipatory social research aimed at raising awareness of injustice and changing the world has a long history on the political left. Contemporary critical writers have argued that research is inherently political, and must be guided by the purpose of emancipation (Gitlin et al., 1989). Lather (1987, p.262) describes emancipatory research as:

...illuminate the lived experiences of progressive social groups; it must also be illuminated by their struggle. Theory adequate to the task of changing the world must be open-ended, nondogmatic, informing, and grounded in the circumstances of everyday life.

Oliver (1992) asserts that such an emancipatory paradigm must be based on the three fundamentals of: reciprocity, gain and empowerment. As suggested by Lather (1987), these fundamentals can be built in by encouraging self-reflection and a deeper understanding of the research situation by the researched. Also, the social relations of research production must be fundamentally changed so that both the researcher and the researched become changer and changed (Lather, 1987).

The Three Fundamentals

There are researchers defining reciprocity in different ways. First, it is argued that the researcher must be prepared to answer direct questions regarding the mutual exchange of personal information and therefore, secondly, the researcher has to introduce some vulnerability through self-exposure in the same way as the research participant does (Ribbens, 1990). Oakley (1981) further identifies a third level of reciprocity with the fact that she has developed long-term friendships with some of the women in her research projects. Reason (1988, p.2) maintains the significance of emancipatory research as,

... establishing a dialogue between research workers and the grassroots people with whom they work, in order to discover and realize the practical and cultural needs of those people. Research here becomes one part of a developmental process including also education and political actions.

Through such dialogue and exchange, both parties benefit and gain from the process.

As for empowerment, it appears to be a difficult task to assess (Oliver, 1992). Freire (1972) has argued that empowerment does not exist as the gift of few who have it to be delivered to those who do not. It is something that people can only do for themselves. In relation to emancipatory research Oliver (1992, p.111) argues,

The issue for the emancipatory research paradigm is not to empower people but, once people have decided to empower themselves, precisely what research can then do to facilitate this process. This does mean that the social relations of research production do have fundamentally changed; researchers have to learn how to put their knowledge and skills at the disposal of their research subjects, for them to use in whatever ways they choose. The task for emancipatory research is not, as is sometimes implied, to help the researched to understand themselves better, but to develop its own understanding of the lived experiences of these very subjects.

To sum up, emancipatory research in the disability context should be enabling not disabling. According to Oliver (1992), research, which aspires to be emancipatory, has to be characterised by rigorous evaluation of questions of control. Who decides what research will be about, how it will be conducted, and to what extent the researched are engaged in central decision-making process are all critical determinants. Therefore, 'emancipatory research is as much a form of political action as it is research' (Walmsley, 2001, p.195). Just as French and Swain (1997, p.28) emphasize that it is 'part of the process of changing society to ensure full participation and citizenship of disabled people'.

In light of the above, it is clear that the real meaning of emancipatory research should refer to the principles mentioned previously. The entire question is vested with the core value - let the researched be the director of the research, not the researcher or the funding institution. With such an experience, the researched will gain the insight to empower themselves.

The Emancipatory Study as a Starting Point for Self-advocacy of Disabled Women in Hong Kong

In emancipatory research, disabled people may take up different roles like advisors (Atkinson and Williams, 1990), co-researchers (March et al., 1997) or interviewers (Williams, 1999). In this study, disabled women have taken up more than these three roles. The study conducted comprises a survey and several focus groups that were initiated and designed by a group of disabled women. In the drafting of the questionnaire, disabled women decided the areas under study. Then, the research design was discussed and drafted. In the process, all those involved were very active in giving their views, taking part in the focus group discussions and were also very helpful in the distribution of questionnaires and data collection work. Even for the output of the research, the group of disabled women jointly made the report including its analysis, interpretation and the way of presentation before making it known to the public.

The study is regarded as an emancipatory one as it aims at uncovering the life experiences of disabled women in Hong Kong and principles like equality and reciprocity are adopted. The study is not an academic piece of research, but real concern of the researched. So all disabled women participated in the study were invited to join the presentation of the research product to the public. In the presentation, it was highlighted that disabled women joined in the planning stage of the research design through the data collection, analysis and result dissemination stage. Since the result of the survey was released in an international conference held in Hong Kong, all the disabled women who had involved as advisors, planners, researchers, interviewers and those who had participated in the focused groups were invited to participate to the presentation session. More than half of the focus group participants were present. After the presentation, a sharing session was followed, in which the idea of forming a self-help organization of disabled women in Hong Kong was generated.

Application of Emancipatory Study to Disabled Women in a Chinese Society

As mentioned, disabled women involved in the study as researchers. In fact, it is the first time disabled women in Hong Kong participated actively in the whole process of a research study. They joined every stage of the study including: the planning, conducting and reporting. During the process, the researched were free to express themselves or raise any questions. As a result, they were active rather than passive subjects of the study. Hence, the study is regarded as an emancipatory study of disabled women in Hong Kong. Throughout the course of the study, disabled women regained their confidence in expressing their own needs in front of the public. It was evident on the day when the Association of Women with Disability was formed, which was the first of its kind in China, disabled women were willing to speak for their own rights that had never been happened before. It is believed that they are empowered through the emancipatory study. To start a self-help group is both a product and a means of empowerment (Thompson, 1993; Adams, 1996). This is also true for disabled women in Hong Kong. However, as far as the present study is concerned, there are both strengths and challenges of applying emancipatory approach of research to disabled women in a Chinese society. Some observations warrant our attention are discussed as below.

In terms of strengths of emancipatory study, it has already been extensively discussed in the previous paragraphs. Nevertheless some more points are worthy to take note of with regard to this study. First of all, this is the first study of its kind being Translating Research into Action 35 conducted in the territory. It is good to extend emancipatory study to disabled women in a Chinese society in which the three elements: gender, disability and culture are intertwined. Definitely, disabled women is an oppressed group in the society that warrants further studies to be planned. Nonetheless, it has to be borne in mind that the researched has to take charge of the research. Another long-term goal of conducting research on this group is to effect policy change in the future. Hence, the study serves as a starting point for empowerment of disabled women in Hong Kong. Consequently, a self-help group that has been formed, is going to use their own strength to strive for their rights. Moreover, the result of the study serves another goal of arousing the public's attention. It does not only mean the attention from the general public, but also those of the women and disability community. Although disabled women is an intersection of the two groups yet either of them has expressed concern towards this unique group of the society. With attention from the public as a whole will certainly help improve the oppressed situation of disabled women in the society in the long run.

Although positive changes are noted, there are challenges observed too. Owing to the long term oppression, there are difficulties encountered in applying emancipatory study to this target group in the early phase of the study. Since disabled women in Hong Kong have got used to the dependent and passive status for a long period of time, it is not easy for them to breakthrough to become vocal in the initial stage of the study. With abundant assurance and encouragement from a few vocal ones, the situation changed gradually. Besides, differences in opinion sometimes exist among the researched and between the researcher and researched as well. Very often, in order to reach a commonly accepted agreement, much time has to be spent on clarification of mutual understanding and expectation. Such circumstances seldom occur in those researcher-oriented study that researcher who is committed to emancipatory approach has to prepare oneself for the extra time, energy and patience in the clarification, negotiation and compromise. Nevertheless, should the goal and direction of the emancipatory research be recognised, it is in fact a valuable experience for the researcher to critically examine his or her own thoughts and values in relation to emancipatory research. It is also applicable to disabled researchers as diversified views also exist among disabled people. In addition, cultural element may play a part too. Since Chinese women are socialised to be passive and obedient, disabled women in a Chinese society are taught to be even more quiet and submissive to accept their fate. Hence, a change in mindset to ask them to stand up to strive for their own rights is found the utmost important task amongst all.

Conclusion

In Hong Kong, public policies or services targeted solely for disabled women are basically non-existed. The study has revealed the oppressive situation of disabled women in society. More significantly, actions leading to positive change are initiated by the researched. Similar to other social movements, to rely on the government to dismantle the oppression experienced by disabled women appears to be impractical if not impossible. Therefore a top-down approach for policy change will be an illusion, rather a bottom up strategy should be aimed at. In such case, empowerment of women with disability for self advocacy and policy advancement is regarded as a viable option. With the collective strength of disabled women, if possible to unite with other groups as allies will be an effective means to combat discrimination. To start a self-help group of disabled women and create more platform for them to make their voice heard by the public will be the first step to achieve the goal. Therefore disabled women in Hong Kong plan to organise themselves to form an organization of their own is a wise choice for self advocacy whilst the emancipatory research conducted is seen as the initial act to empower women with disability in Hong Kong.

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