Sigrid: Hi, and welcome! Please introduce yourself, and I want to know more about your PH.D and what it is about. 

Joe: My name is Joe Murray, I grow up in America. Now I have different jobs, I am a member of WFDs board. I live in Norway, where I work with teaching different projects. And I also have my PH.D from University in Ohio in US. I’ll start with the beginning of my PH.D, my aim with the PH.D is Deaf History, the period from 1880 until about 1924. Study about Deaf International gatherings. Many Deaf Americans travelled to participate Deaf gatherings where they discussed and exchanged ideas and information. They brought the ideas back in America and continued the fight for Deaf rights. I research how they exchanged information, ideas at the international gatherings and how they changed the way they see themselves as Deaf and they’re way of living.

Sigrid: Good and interesting! All the information you have collected, how and where did you get it from? Like the information about the Deaf from the 1800 centuries.

Joe: I’ve got/found the information in many different ways. From the archives at the University, history notes from Deaf who travelled. From Deaf Schools I found many old books, visiting Deaf Clubs searching for information, I’ve found lot of important information from the Deaf Clubs. In many different ways I’ve found the information. I have been travelled and visited many Deaf Schools in America, England, Norway, Germany. I have visited many different countries. How many? Let me think… I have visited and searched for information in 6 different countries.

Sigrid: That must been a lot work! Good luck with your work with the PH.D. At least I want to know how you think Frontrunners can change the world.

Joe: Well… You all come to Frontrunners with the aim to change the world right? With personal ideas, exchange the ideas with each other, about politics which you together discuss and develop the ideas. You establish network with each other, and travel back home where you will use the ideas and spread it around to the people around you who again will spread it. This way I think you Frontrunners can change the world. It is important being active. Your mind must be clear, and you have to know what you want – and then you can change the world!

Sigrid: Hope we will make it happen! Thank you for the interview! J