Paper short abstract:

In Uganda, assistive technologies, imported physically and conceptually from the West, are socio-technically transformed in their materiality and meaning. This paper describes how these devices are locally appropriated, so that they effect positive change in the lives of people with disabilities.

Paper long abstract:

In Kampala, the capital of Uganda, a broad variety of assistive technologies for people with mobility disabilities, such as wheelchairs, crutches, prostheses or orthoses, can be encountered. Most of these devices differ substantially, in their appearance, the processed materials or their functionality from assistive technologies, as they are known in Europe. This is surprising because these technologies have been arriving in Uganda, physically and as concepts, from industrial nations for many decades and in large quantities. Hence, it is assumed that socio-technical transformations are at work, understood as parts of a cultural appropriation process, that change assistive technologies in their materiality and meaning.

To describe this process, appropriation strategies of different actors are analyzed - of people with mobility disabilities who imagine, learn or engage in the use of such devices, and of experts who professionally work with assistive technologies, in production, modification, sale and distribution. All actors individually appropriate assistive technologies intellectually, conceptually, materially, economically, religiously, bodily, emotionally, semantically or practically. Their practices are purposeful and focus on the crafting of a good life.

Assistive technologies, as the findings of the presented research suggest, can only effect positive change in the lives of individuals, their mobility, social status, health or wealth, and society, e.g. regarding the perception of disability, after they underwent this process, were transformed and re-categorized - thus locally appropriated.