英文摘要 |
“Kind of people” is usually intertwined with changing medical categories, and together they influence the self-identification of people who have been classified by scientific knowledge. Tourette syndrome is a relatively new disease category in Taiwan with specific historical and social characteristics. In this article, I explore the ways in which many of the people diagnosed with this new medical category in Taiwan have creatively appropriated the clinical side of the neurological discourse and worked collaboratively with medical professionals to generate a self-identity, ‘Tourette ren’ (Touretter), which is able to further their personal and social interests. Their newly gained neurological knowledge reconfigures every facet of daily life and makes them experience their selves in new ways. This new kind of self-identity in a sense not only empowers them and eradicates their social stigma and moral burden, but also provides them with more possibilities in regard to their personal development. However, the new identity produces a series of new agendas which people with Tourette syndrome have to deal with. This article focuses on experiences of adult persons with Tourette syndrome in Taiwan. By exploring their experiences, this study brings forth the dynamic and mutually shaping relationship between disease categories and medical users. |