Abstract
In this case study I describe the process of coming to terms with the meaning of disability from the point of view of people who live in residential institutions for those with intellectual disabilities. Recently, more and more articles based on qualitative research have attempted to show how participants interpret the social service field, such as hospitals or institutions for people with disability, and how they interpret disability or illness. This paper is also based on qualitative research using interviews to elicit the life histories of residents in institutions. In this paper, I give particular emphasis the way in which residents have formed their identity as “disabled” through conversations with professions.
