From epistolary exchanges between "paralyzed" people to epistolary and digital exchanges with able-bodied people. The Cordées System in France, 1932-2022

Overview & Synopsis

This article explains the history of the Cordées. This form of correspondence between people with disabilities was initiated and organized by the French association APF France Handicap as early as 1933 and continues to this day. The material that was analyzed includes letters and interviews with participants, as well as articles from Faire Face magazine and the Edelweiss newsletter. A four-stage presentation of the origins and evolution of the Epistolary Rope Teams is presented: 1) the passed-around notebooks, 2) the Cordées structuration, with an increase and then decrease in participants, 3) the Cordées' social composition transformation, with the inclusion of able-bodied people and family caregivers, and 4) today's Cordées, with the switch to digital technology, thematic diversification, and a significant decrease in participants.