Abstract
Manos Savvakis
University of the Aegean
“My story “is” the history of the community!” Empowerment, collective identity and images of the self
In this contribution we analyze the “turbulent” life history of a man, who was diagnosed with Hansen’s disease, formally know as leprosy, and was confined in the Leprosarium of Spinalonga (1903-1957). A plethora of epistemological and methodological issues are demonstrated that are connected to the relationship between bio-histories and oral histories, specifically regarding questions of marginalized and excluded microcosms. On a methodological level, the presentation will pay attention to the unique kind of sociological knowledge that can be gained through these case-studies, that are deemed as privileged bridges among certain aspects of macro and micro procedures, particular-general relationships, researcher-researched power hierarchies and the validity claims of each “oral” account. Thus, a concrete claim of a critical hermeneutic, retaining an empirical dimension, as a potential and fruitful theoretical and political strategy, with certain limits and possibilities is articulated.
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