This study aims to show the impacts of literature on mothers of people with disabilities, with regard to the reframing of their condition of “special mothers,” based on participation in the activities carried out at the Laboratory of Humanities, which is part of the Center for History and Philosophy of Sciences Health, at the Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, whose purposes are to awaken affections and feelings and promote humanization, through the collective discussion of existential themes raised by classic works of universal literature. Three qualitative methodologies were applied after the reading of the fable “Um Apólogo” (An Apologue), by Machado de Assis: LabHum’s methodology; Oral Life Story; and Participant Observation. The results indicate positive transformations in perspectives and re-elaboration of humanistic values about the role that these women play as citizens seeking to broaden the debate on the social inclusion of people with disabilities.
Keywords
Disability; Humanization; Laboratory of Humanities; Literature