Disability and Embodiment in Namibia: Religious and Cultural Perspectives

该项目将在研究不足的领域（非洲残疾问题研究和纳米比亚关于残疾问题的宗教文化叙述）开展工作，开发一个“纳米比亚多样机构”网络，该网络由纳米比亚大学和埃克塞特大学、纳米比亚残疾人全国联合会和纳米比亚福音路德教会共同创建。非主流文化态度可以被纳入残疾叙述，无论是围绕疾病，还是特定残疾（身体/感官/精神）的经历，以及与性别和性有关的经历。例如，疾病可能与罪恶或精神痛苦有关，残疾人可能会遇到缺陷，怜悯或需要治疗的看法。作为残疾的性别意味着妇女面临重男轻女的宗教或文化态度，这可能助长基于性别的暴力祸害。关于宗教和文化权威在性问题上的地位的争论，在实地引发了一场两极分化的辩论，缺乏细微差别。纳米比亚的殖民遗产造成的严重不平等因种族和族裔的划分而加剧，并与之相互交织。这些不受控制的不平等加剧了贫困、排斥和缺乏福祉的经历，该项目最初将侧重于对残疾的传统理解。我们将记录身体和精神疾病在纳米比亚的生活经验，以及教会的反应，并制定了基于圣经和当地文化资源的教育包，解决边缘化的话语。鉴于其用于解决南部非洲的社会不公正，上下文圣经研究已被选为一个适当的方法论方法，以补充残疾研究的背景下，90%的人口是基督徒。该网络将逐步扩大到纳米比亚成熟的先驱活动家倡导团体的合作者-那些关注社会正义，发展和残疾/性别/LGBTQI+权利的团体。在这个论坛上，学术和活动家倡导团体可以与教会代表合作，探索和询问围绕不同体验的主流宗教和文化叙事。它将考虑在何种程度上的“规范性”的传教士殖民叙事已被增选，并正在重新塑造和排练为不可侵犯的，基督教和/或土著叙事。然后，它将继续考虑如何利用这些相同的宗教文化资源来促进平等，包容性和多样性，以符合联合国2030年议程的“不让任何人掉队”。该网络将汇集有关残疾人不成比例地经历的不利影响的专业知识：剥夺权力，边缘化，污名化，无法获得医疗保健和教育，社会经济斗争，甚至暴力。该网络将就以下四个主题交流知识并开展进一步合作：整理和突出残疾人的康复经历从残疾人及其倡导者的角度了解挑战和优先事项。绘制和询问关于包容/排斥的宗教和文化叙述iv.解决宗教和文化对包容/排斥的叙述，以促进包容、平等和多样性，从而最大限度地发挥发展潜力，该网络将召集参与者参加3个讲习班，全年试用资源。它借鉴了宗教和社会正义方面的大量区域学术专长，从而促进了“南南”合作以及英国-LMIC合作。该网络的成员将促进以纳米比亚为中心的促进平等和多样性的方法，避免引进西方方法来实现具体多样性的陷阱。

Venturing into under-researched areas (disability studies in Africa and the religio-cultural narratives of disability in Namibia) this project will develop a 'Diverse Bodies Namibia' network, collaboratively created by the Universities of Namibia and Exeter, the National Federation of People with Disabilities in Namibia and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia. Religio-cultural attitudes can be co-opted into disabling narratives, whether around illness, or experiences of specific disabilities (physical/sensory/mental) and those associated with gender and sexuality. For example, illness may be associated with sin or spirit-affliction and people with disabilities may encounter perceptions of deficiency, pity or as requiring cure. Gender as disability means that women are exposed to the patriarchal religious or cultural attitudes that may undergird a scourge of gender-based violence. Contestation over where religious and cultural authority lies concerning issues of sexuality has precipitated a polarised debate on the ground, lacking in nuance. The stark inequalities caused by Namibia's colonial legacy are compounded by, and intersect with, divisions of race and ethnicity. These unchecked inequalities contribute to intensified experiences of poverty, exclusion and a lack of well-being.The project will focus initially on a traditional understanding of disability. We will document lived experiences of physical and mental illness in Namibia alongside church responses and develop an educational package based on biblical and local cultural resources that tackles marginalising discourses. Given its use to address social injustices in Southern Africa, Contextual Bible Study has been chosen as an appropriate methodological approach to complement disability studies in a context where 90% of the population is Christian. The network will gradually expand to collaborators in well-established, pioneering activist-advocacy groups in Namibia - those concerned with social justice, development, and disability/gender/LGBTQI+ rights. In this forum, academic and activist-advocacy groups can engage with church representatives in a collaborative effort to explore and interrogate dominant religious and cultural narratives surrounding diverse experiences of embodiment. It will consider the extent to which missionary-colonial narratives of 'normativity' have been co-opted and are being refigured and rehearsed as inviolable, Christian and/or indigenous narratives. It will then go on to consider ways in which those same religio-cultural resources might be employed in the promotion of equality, inclusivity and diversity, in line with the UN 2030 Agenda's drive to 'leave no one behind'. The network will bring together expertise on the impoverishing effects that people with disabilities experience disproportionately: disempowerment, marginalisation, stigmatisation, inadequate access to health care and education, socio-economic struggle, and even violence. The network will exchange knowledge and collaborate further on four themes: i. collating and foregrounding impoverishing experiences of disability ii. understanding challenges and priorities from the perspective of the disabled and their advocatesiii. mapping and interrogating religious and cultural narratives of inclusion/exclusioniv. addressing religious and cultural narratives of inclusion/exclusion in order to promote inclusivity, equality and diversity and, thereby, to maximise potential for development.The network will convene participants at 3 workshops, with resources being trialled throughout the year. It draws upon substantial regional academic expertise in religion and social justice, thereby promoting 'South-South' collaboration alongside UK-LMIC collaboration. Members of the network will foster Namibian-centred approaches to the promotion of equality and diversity, avoiding the pitfalls of importing Western approaches to embodied diversities.