Is my story so different from yours? Comparing life stories, experiences of institutionalisation and self-advocacy in England and Iceland

This paper uses oral history and documentary materials to develop a cross-cultural comparison of the experiences of two elf-advocates who spent significant parts of their lives in learning disability institutions in England and Iceland. Their stories bring to life the history of the institutions and the experiences of those who 'spoke up' and challenged the system long before formal self-advocacy groups were established. Alongside this oral history work policy developments in each culture are described and compared to provide context to their life histories