The purpose of this study is to investigate how the philanthropist Ebba Ramsay portrayed children with epilepsy in her writings during her time active at Wilhelmsro, an institution for children with epilepsy outside Jönköping, Sweden, from 1877 to 1915. The study is based on an analysis of 23 writings by Ramsay, where the main focus includes Ramsay's representations of the children and what insights these can provide about society's view of epilepsy and its impact on the affected children and society at this time. Bill Hughes' categorization of the basic aversive feelings on disability is used to categorize Ramsay's view of the epileptic children. The results show that Ramsay portrayed the children with a mixture of fear, pity, and disgust, often portraying epilepsy as a tragic and heavy burden for both individuals and their families. She also describes a society that is often unsympathetic and exclusionary towards these children. These representations are used to evoke compassion and support for better care and education for children with epilepsy. The final discussion highlights the relevance of Ramsay's work to the teaching of history at secondary school level, where her texts can be used to discuss how historical perspectives on illness and disability can relate to contemporary views and policies. Suggestions for future research include comparisons of Ramsay's work with other similar institutions internationally, as well as deeper studies of the gender aspects that may have influenced her work.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:hj-64959 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Ronneland, Max |
| Publisher | Jönköping University, Högskolan för lärande och kommunikation |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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