Deaf in Japan signing and the politics of identity

Includes bibliographical references (p. 201-215) and index.

The politics of Japanese sign language -- The early history of the deaf in Japan -- Life history : Nakano Shizuyo, a prewar-generation deaf woman -- Middle-generation deaf in the postwar period -- Three postwar women's lives : Sano Hiroe, Horikawa Hiro, and Funata Hatsuko -- The postwar generation of deaf activists -- The Japanese Federation of the Deaf and the welfare state -- Deaf students in the post-mainstreaming era -- Life history : Yamashita Mayumi, a deaf youth in contemporary Japan -- Language wars and language politics, or, How an itinerant anthropologist introduced a new sign into the Japanese sign lexicon.