Patient or Citizen? Participation and Accessibility for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People in the Context of Interpretation in Sweden

Drawing upon ethnographic data from two projects, this paper focuses on interpretation issues in deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) individuals’ everyday lives. A specific issue is the importance of and the ways in which interpretation services and Swedish – Swedish Sign Language interpreters shape their experiences and participation. Three themes are illustrated, highlighting tensions that facilitate or obstruct DHH individuals’ participation. The analysis shows that they are positioned as both patients and citizens. Unequal power relationships position them in passive roles, as patients, with limited possibilities to shape the interpreter services, while they simultaneously shoulder major responsibility for its smooth functioning. The mundane nature of the analysis also highlights how they are accorded the position of citizen within the same services.