Consciousness Raising among Mentally Handicapped People: A Critique of the Implications of Normalization

Consciousness raising involves not only making bearers of a stigmatized identity aware of the inequitable distribution of social rewards, but also an exploration of the meaning of that identity on a personal level. Current theory and practice, however, assumes the advisability of "passing" and not exploring the nature of handicap. We present reasons why consciousness raising is of benefit to handicapped clients. These reasons cluster around five theoretical positions: (1) self-acceptance and self-esteem, (2) cognitive dissonance, (3) realistic attributions and goal-setting, (4) coming through the "loss spiral," and (5) social identity theory and intergroup comparisons. We also discuss possible drawbacks to consciousness raising. Implications for professional practice include whether to and how to "tell" and talk about handicap with clients.