New book on the history of blindness "God, Money, and Politics"
Posted by simonhayhoe on 6/6/2008 11:45:30 AM.
God, Money, and Politics: English attitudes to blindness and touch, from Enlightenment to integrationBy Simon Hayhoe, Editor of ECO: On Blindness and the Arts
Why do we have the attitudes we do towards blindness, touch and blind people? Can our attitudes change with our culture? Have these attitudes always been the same, or have they been adapted to suit the purposes of institutions and intellectual beliefs? God, Money and Politics addresses these questions in the context of England and the English. It examines how the nature of attitudes has changed radically from the beginning of the Enlightenment to integration in education. It also looks at the influences on these attitudes from the greater culture of academia and philanthropy. In doing so this book describes how these beliefs have been manipulated by the unrelated need to:
• impose a Christian morality and understand God
• reduce spending and produce capital
• gain and retain political power
Comments about God, Money, and Politics
“Simon Hayhoe's book is a major contribution to the full liberation and social inclusion of blind people into society. Hayhoe shows how cultural, economic and moral prejudice locked blind people into frustrating mechanical labour and denied them their full humanity. The main illustration of the effects of this attitudes is education, but Hayhoe's scholarly and persuasive argument is relevant to all who dream and work for a world of greater equality.”
—John Hull]
Honorary Professor of Practical Theology in The Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education and Emeritus Professor of Religious Education in The University of Birmingham, England.
“In a highly original and splendidly written work, Simon Hayhoe gives us a clear picture of historical forces that produced and often controlled ideas about blindness. The influences favoured political, social and educational movements in which the blind participated. From the changing conditions of the time came remarkable and often quite unstable beliefs about sex, violence, ability and disability, art and literature, and thereby the hopes and expectations of the blind. Reasonable people come to diametrically opposed positions in neighbouring countries and time periods. Leaders of associations of the blind, and allied philosophers, psychologists and reformers of many persuasions have been swayed by historical changes in trade, wars and religion. In a masterly overview, Hayhoe shows us directions that the weathervane of ideas has pointed in Austria, France, Germany, the UK and the US. In this tour-de-force, Hayhoe explains why. This is the work of a visionary who is in touch with what has mattered deeply in the lives of blind people.”
—John Kennedy, Professor of Psychology, Toronto University
There is currently 1 reply.
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1 . Re: New book on the history of blindness "God, Money, and Politics"
Posted by bhmabama on 11/07/2008
Where can I find this book in braille?
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