Article

Social Model Theory: The story so far …

Taylor & Francis
Disability & Society
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Abstract

Social model theory has been developing in Britain since the Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation (UPIAS) published their Fundamental Principles of Disability (1976), followed shortly afterwards by Finkelstein's seminal exposition of the oppression that disabled people face (1980). Since then, various competing positions have been elaborated from this original starting point. Through a review of the literature, this paper outlines the course of those developments to date, in order to show the full range and potential of social model theory. In recording some of the commentaries on each of the various theoretical strands which have emerged, it also highlights some areas in which further theorisation may be desirable in order to make more explicit the links between social model theory and disability movement practice.

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... The sociological perspective proponents argue that a child may suffer from physical, cognitive, sensory or any combination of these impairments. However, disability is not a biological characteristic; instead, it is the deprivation of learning opportunities due to biological and social barriers (Tregaskis, 2002). These may be physical, attitudinal, political, cultural and economic impediments. ...
... Accordingly, all children can learn and achieve irrespective of their background if conducive schooling conditions are created. Therefore, inclusive education's sociological model criticises the disabling, normalising, oppressive and exclusive society (Tregaskis, 2002) and emphasises rights, equality, respect, participation, social justice and collective belonging (Glazzard et al., 2019). It underscores the need to analyse the education systems through various curricula and assessment processes responsible for creating learning difficulties and disabling conditions. ...
... Some scholars even suggest considering their experiences and accounts as a source of privilege over people without disabilities (Whitburn & Plows, 2017). Such an approach to disability provides opportunities to society to experience the impairment of people with disabilities and understand how their lives can be made enriching (Tregaskis, 2002). ...
... The disability lens is the philosophical worldview describing the exclusion of people with brain injury [19]. Applications of the disability lens evolved through time. ...
... Applications of the disability lens evolved through time. Social model theory was developed in the 1980s by theorists such as Finkelstein in response to the oppression faced by marginalized people within capitalist communities in the United Kingdom [19][20][21]. The Disabled Peoples Movement created organizations such as the Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation (UPIAS) giving a voice to an otherwise ostracized group [19]. ...
... Social model theory was developed in the 1980s by theorists such as Finkelstein in response to the oppression faced by marginalized people within capitalist communities in the United Kingdom [19][20][21]. The Disabled Peoples Movement created organizations such as the Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation (UPIAS) giving a voice to an otherwise ostracized group [19]. According to Barnes and Mercer [20], the social model of disability highlights society's exclusionary stance towards marginalized groups. ...
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... It is perhaps unsurprising that medicalization rates were lower when the case involved a sex discrimination claim as compared to cases involving a disability or constitutional claim. Disabilities are typically understood as biologically-based medical conditions, although there is movement towards conceptualizing disability as a social construct-the proposition that disability-based disadvantage stems from discriminatory environments that assume all bodies move the same way (Tregaskis, 2002). ...
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Some attorneys and legal scholars argue that medicalizing transgender plaintiffs (i.e., introducing plaintiff diagnoses and/or medical procedures) in discrimination cases will enhance favorable plaintiff outcomes. Research and theory linking biological essentialism (i.e., believing social groups reflect biologically‐rooted, stable categories) to prejudice, however, suggests that medicalizing transgender plaintiffs might not help them win cases and might instead backfire and harm their case outcomes. To test these competing hypotheses, we coded all published cases involving alleged transgender discrimination (N = 124) from 1974 to 2021. Importantly, we addressed limitations of existing research that narrowly defined transgender plaintiff medicalization exclusively via diagnosis by documenting various other forms of medicalization beyond diagnosis. Contrary to legal scholars' claims and attorney intuitions, medicalization did not predict favorable outcomes for transgender plaintiffs. In fact, various forms of medicalization beyond diagnosis predicted negative plaintiff case outcomes. We discuss the implications of this research for informing scientific theory and legal practice.
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Introduction and Aim: The aim of the study is to determine the empathetic tendency levels of the society and to examine its relationship with the attitude towards disabled individuals. Method: The participants of this descriptive cross-sectional study consisted of 429 Turkish individuals, contacted through social media platforms between 15 May and 15 August 2022. The data were gathered through an online questionnaire. The form used for data collection included questions about the sociodemographic characteristics of individuals and their attitudes towards disabled people, and the Empathic Tendency Scale. Results: The empathic tendency of the participants is at moderate level. A high level of empathic tendency positively affects the attitude towards people with disabilities, and a high educational tendency increases the empathic tendency. Conclusion: In order for the society to better empathize the disabled individuals, it is considered that it will be beneficial to carry out multiple studies to ensure that the relevant knowledge and practical experiences are included in the education curricula and to increase the society's awareness on the subject.
... The social model of disability as it is shaped in the 21 st century preserves its dynamic power and functioning in the movement of disabled people as a way of expression and giving meaning to their experiences (Tregaskis, 2002). ...
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The role of families in the education of disabled children is one of the prominent factors influencing their educational course. Parents’ aspirations for their children, their expectations and their experiences are determinant factors in the education of their disabled children. In the Greek context the role of familial environment appears reinforced since historically the majority of society has considered education as an individual responsibility of families. The scope of this study is the exploration of the experiences of a group of disabled children’s parents concerning school-family collaboration in relation to the functioning of the special educational structures following discourse analysis approach. The exploration of the experiences of disabled children’s families took place using semi-structured interviews. The analysis of parent’s experiences follows the social model of disability, which is contrasted with the clinical model and the theory of personal tragedy. The discourse analysis approach reveals a growing number of incidents concerning the feeling of personal tragedy. The experience of personal tragedy appears more often at the level of collaboration with structures and professionals from the educational context, projecting the individual model approach of disability at the level of school-family collaboration.
... After the 1970s, with the introduction of the social model of disability which challenged the previous medical model, the public realized that the stereotypical images of people with disabilities were inaccurate, and disability was assumed to be a result of the collaborative construction of society, politics, and culture (Coles 2001;Newell 2000;Reindal 2010;Siminski 2003;Tregaskis 2002). The scholars of this critical path regard our society as a 'normalizing society' (Oliver and Barnes 2012, 88), the hegemony of ableism over the disabled shaped by the abled who occupy the dominant position of society, because it makes the idea of the supremacy of soundness become a natural reality. ...
Article
The stereotype and stigma that disabled people experience is a communication proposition that deserves academic attention. How the media reports people with disabilities reflects society’s overall perception and evaluation of people with disabilities. This study uses content analysis to demonstrate how People’s Daily, the mainstream media in mainland China, has undergone a process in the designation of people with disabilities from canfei (disabled and waste) to canji (disabled and ill) to canzhang (people encountering obstacles). News reports related to the image of people with disabilities often relate to terms such as ‘heroes’, ‘role models’, ‘builders’, ‘beneficiaries’, and ‘free riders’. • Points of interest • How the media reports people with disabilities reflects, to some extent, what society thinks and feels about people with disabilities. • This study demonstrates how People’s Daily, the mainstream media in mainland China, has built and reproduced the image of people with disabilities in different historical periods since 1946. • With the development of the Chinese society, People’s Daily has been going through a process of naming people with disabilities from canfei (disabled and waste) to canji (disabled and ill) to canzhang (people encountering obstacles). • While highlighting the positive aspects of people with disabilities, they are also perceived as weak people who require help from all sectors of society. • People with disabilities need to be understood from a ‘human’ perspective to establish approaches based on equality and pluralism to human values.
... Goodley, 2016) have rightly pointed out, disability studies are composed of diverse kinds of social perspectives. Hence, although we use the term 'social model', which in the UK context refers to a particular kind of social theory, it should be understood here as an umbrella term for a range of 'protective belt' theories (Tregaskis, 2002), all of which share a view of disability as a sociopolitical rather than medical or biological category. ...
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Studies on the development of social policies have provided us with a rich body of knowledge. However, being based mostly on class, gender or racial analysis, this body of work has seldom used disability as an analytical framework. This article proposes a systematic research agenda for addressing this lacuna. Drawing on the political and institutional approaches, this article illustrates how mainstream theories on social policy development cannot be assumed applicable to disability policies ‘as is’. To apply them effectively, we argue, students of social policy need to rework them in light of the insights of disability studies. Such conceptual work would involve closer attention to the uniqueness of disability as a socio-political category. Integrating these social policy theories with disability studies will allow us to better identify the unique political and institutional factors behind the trajectories of disability related policy. We conclude this discussion with suggestions for future research.
... Only much later did I realize that helping and name calling amounted to the same thing (Michalko 2002: 20 (Dewsbury 2004;Hughes/Paterson 1997;Johnston 1997;Oliver 1996;Pinder 1997;Ravaud 1999;Shakespeare/Watson 1997;Tregaskis 2002 ...
... In the last several decades, the social model of disability has advanced the notion that restriction in sport and physical activity is the result of societal practices that disable individuals 27,28 . The model has been effective in highlighting the marginalized experiences of disabled individuals through discriminatory practices 29 . In the physical education setting, Grenier 28,30 utilized the social model to investigate the changing landscape of disability depending on opportunity, environment and teacher practices including peer relationships that may support or hinder student performance. ...
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This case study explored the inclusion of students with severe disabilities in a general elementary physical education program. Qualitative methods were used to capture the communication protocols and instructional practices used by the physical education (PE) teacher and Individual Education Plan (IEP) team members in one fourth grade and second grade physical education classroom. Data from three primary sources including field notes, interviews and a journal were analyzed to address questions of interest. Findings revealed four primary themes. The first “Collaboration-Needing to Know What I Don’t Know” described the process the PE teacher used in gaining information on her students with disabilities. The second, “Community in the Classroom,” revealed the value system shared by the IEP team members. The third theme, “The Role of Modeling” articulated the value of appropriated practices between teachers and students. The final theme, “Talking Without Words” highlighted the communicative processes and shared language between the students with and without disabilities.
... Σε ό,τι αφορά την ερευνητική δραστηριότητα στην Ελλάδα αναφορικά με την αναπηρία, θα ήταν χρήσιμη η εκτεταμένη εφαρμογή ποιοτικών μεθόδων σε έρευνες με άτομα με αναπηρία και τις οικογένειές τους, ώστε να δοθεί η δυνατότητα να εκφραστεί και να αποτυπωθεί το προσωπικό βίωμα των άμεσα εμπλεκόμενων. Η μεταδομική ανάλυση του λόγου, περαιτέρω, καταδεικνύει τους τρόπους με τους οποίους η ελλειμματική εικόνα των ατόμων με αναπηρία αναπαράγεται και ενισχύεται μέσω των νοημάτων που περνά ο λόγος, των εικόνων των εκπαιδευτικών εγχειριδίων, των εφημερίδων, των κυβερνητικών αποφάσεων, ακόμη και των τηλεοπτικών προγραμμάτων (Tregaskis, 2002) και επομένως μπορεί να καταστεί ιδιαίτερα χρήσιμη για την ανάδειξη και την κριτική αποδόμηση στιγματιστικών εννοιών και πρακτικών. Εν κατακλείδι, αυτός ο τρόπος έρευνας, που δίνει έμφαση στο βίωμα της αναπηρίας και τα νοήματα που εμπλέκονται σε αυτήν, είναι αναγκαίο να διαδοθεί και στην ελληνική ερευνητική κοινότητα, αφού παρέχει τη δυνατότητα γνωριμίας με εναλλακτικούς δρόμους προσέγγισης και μετάδοσης της γνώσης και κατά συνέπεια τη διαμόρφωση επαγγελματικών πρακτικών που συμβάλλουν στην ενδυνάμωση των ατόμων με αναπηρία. ...
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Η αποσαφήνιση του ορισμού της αναπηρίας αποτελεί ένα περίπλοκο ζήτημα καθώς και μια αιτία σύγκρουσης ανάμεσα στην επιστημονική κοινότητα και σε εκπροσώπους διαφόρων οργανώσεων ατόμων με αναπηρία. Άνθρωποι-κλειδιά στην παραπάνω διαμάχη είναι αναμφισβήτητα οι επαγγελματίες υγείας και εκπαίδευσης των ατόμων με αναπηρία, καθώς είναι εκείνα τα πρόσωπα που αναλαμβάνουν τόσο τη διάγνωση όσο και την αντιμετώπιση των προβλημάτων των ατόμων αυτών. Σκοπό της παρούσας έρευνας αποτελεί η αποτύπωση των κυρίαρχων λόγων που χρησιμοποιούν οι επαγγελματίες στις συζητήσεις τους περί αναπηρίας καθώς και των συνεπειών των λόγων αυτών στην προσωπική και επαγγελματική τους ζωή. Για τη διεξαγωγή της έρευνας πραγματοποιήθηκαν δέκα συνεντεύξεις με επαγγελματίες που εργάζονται σε πέντε φορείς αξιολόγησης, εκπαίδευσης και αποκατάστασης παιδιών με αναπηρία στην ευρύτερη περιοχή της Θεσσαλονίκης. Η ανάλυση των δεδομένων βασίστηκε στην ποιοτική μέθοδο της μεταδομικής ανάλυσης λόγου, από την οποία προέκυψαν τρεις κυρίαρχοι λόγοι: ο ιατρικός, ο ανθρωπιστικός και ο λόγος του στίγματος. Οι παραπάνω λόγοι επιδρούν τόσο στην εννοιολογική κατασκευή της επαγγελματικής ταυτότητας των συμμετεχόντων και στον τρόπο με τον οποίο διαχειρίζονται τις δυσκολίες και τις επιβραβεύσεις της δουλειάς τους, όσο και στις ιδρυματικές πρακτικές των φορέων στους οποίους εργάζονται.
... For example, mental and physical health disorders can form part of an individual's identity despite such disorders typically being viewed by the afflicted as negative or undesirable (see Larson et al., 1984). More specifically, Tregaskis (2002) articulated the "disabled self " as an encapsulation of mobility trauma within the individual, while Price et al. (1994) proposed the "depressed self " as the integration of depression into one's identity. The present study focuses on the inclusion of anxiety into one's self-concept (Schmukle and Egloff, 2006) and the affective implications associated with projecting this "anxious self " onto an avatar. ...
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Character customization is a prominent feature in digital games, affording users the ability to tailor one’s virtual self-representation (avatar) to match aspects of their actual or ideal self, influencing psychological well-being. The mental health implications of character customization can be partially explained by self-discrepancy theory, which argues that achieving congruence with one’s avatar reduces cognitive dissonance. However, the role of undesirable self-concepts such as mental health ailments have largely been overlooked in this context despite forming part of one’s identity. In theory, customization of an avatar representing undesirable self-concepts presents a self-regulatory paradox: individuals desire to reduce discrepancies with a self-representation, yet they also desire to enlarge discrepancies with a disliked-self. To reconcile this, two experiments explored the psychological implications of imbuing avatars with undesirable self-concepts. In Study 1 (N = 90), participants customized an avatar to represent anxiety within themselves (i.e., an anxiety avatar). Customization significantly reduced state anxiety compared to a control group, supporting the proposed discrepancy-reduction mechanism. Study 2 (N = 122) employed a 2 (customization: yes, no) × 2 (destruction: yes, no) between-subjects design, with participants either destroying or observing an anxiety avatar. Destruction of customized anxiety avatars resulted in the largest reduction in anxiety among all conditions, supporting the proposed discrepancy-enlargement mechanism. Theoretical and practical implications for the use of avatar-based e-mental health interventions are discussed.
... This model draws attention to 'the economic, environmental, and cultural barriers encountered by people who are viewed by others as having some form of impairment -whether physical, sensory or intellectual' (Oliver 2009: 47). It contextualises disablement as a societal responsibility resulting from social exclusion and discrimination (Tregaskis 2002;Oliver 2009; Barnes and Mercer 2011). ...
... In the last several decades, the social model of disability has advanced the notion that restriction in sport and physical activity is the result of societal practices that disable individuals 27,28 . The model has been effective in highlighting the marginalized experiences of disabled individuals through discriminatory practices 29 . In the physical education setting, Grenier 28,30 utilized the social model to investigate the changing landscape of disability depending on opportunity, environment and teacher practices including peer relationships that may support or hinder student performance. ...
Article
Full-text available
This case study explored the inclusion of students with severe disabilities in a general elementary physical education program. Qualitative methods were used to capture the communication protocols and instructional practices used by the physical education (PE) teacher and Individual Education Plan (IEP) team members in one fourth grade and second grade physical education classroom. Data from three primary sources including field notes, interviews and a journal were analyzed to address questions of interest. Findings revealed four primary themes. The first “Collaboration-Needing to Know What I Don’t Know” described the process the PE teacher used in gaining information on her students with disabilities. The second, “Community in the Classroom,” revealed the value system shared by the IEP team members. The third theme, “The Role of Modeling” articulated the value of appropriated practices between teachers and students. The final theme, “Talking Without Words” highlighted the communicative processes and shared language between the students with and without disabilities.
... I choose to use the term 'disabled child'. This is consistent with the preference of DSE, and of the international disabled persons movement, and emerges from social model thinking (Goodley, 2011;Macartney, 2007;Thomas, 2004;Tregaskis, 2002). Oliver states "our disabilities are essential parts of self to be affirmed and celebrated, not denied or relegated to an appendage, and as such we demand to be called disabled people" (1992, p. 21). ...
Thesis
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Narrative assessment; Curriculum; Student voice; Inclusive Education; Disability Studies; Social Justice
... The greater likelihood of trainees in this study who profess to 'know' someone with autism to focus on communication may indicate greater awareness of this need in autism. The social model of disability examines the extent to which the 'problems' experienced by individuals seen as disabled are socially constructed rather than intrinsic to the individual (Rieser, 1990;Tregaskis, 2002). In autism, this model suggests that challenges in, for example, communication may stem as much from the social and educational environment experienced by that individual as from the condition itself (Kossyvaki, Jones and Guldberg, 2012). ...
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Consideration of attitudes towards people with disabilities has been the subject of study for many years (e.g. (Kenneth, Antonak and Livneh, 1989; Campbell, Gilmore and Cuskelly, 2003; Praisner, 2003), although trainee teachers' preconception of autistic pupils specifically has not been addressed. The purpose of this study was to determine whether previous exposure to autistic individuals influences trainee teachers' initial attitudes towards autistic pupils. 84 trainee teachers with equal exposure to autism education during their undergraduate degree in Primary Education self-catagorised themselves as 'knowing' or 'not knowing' an autistic individual and were asked to write a brief description of their expectations of how autism might present in a pupil. Responses were compared. Findings were that those with or without personal experience did not show significant differences in their broad descriptions of the presentation of autism, but descriptions by those with personal experience focused more on communication and less on social aspects than those without and were more positive, more varied, more specific and less 'generic'. Implications for teacher education are discussed.
... Disability and tourism should be discussed in tourism studies as a concept imbedded within the wider context of social entrepreneurship, which is the practice of doing business with sensitivity to social characteristics (Arranz, Ubierna, Arroyabe, Perez, & de Arroyabe, 2017;Buzinde, Shockley, Andereck, Dee, & Frank, 2016). Tregakis (2002) calls upon social model theory in relation to disability and society. Social model theory refers to the social barriers imposed on disabled people (Hughes, 2010) and posits that these are "caused by the way society is organised, rather than by a person's impairment or difference" (Scope, 2016). ...
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The global population is aging, and older adults have more chronic conditions and disabilities relative to their younger counterparts. Aging and disabled populations have limitations associated with physical functioning, cognitive impairment, and loss of sense functioning. This group of people travelers represents an interesting segment in the tourism industry; however, the current market offers inadequate products and services to meet their needs and demands. The inability and unpreparedness of the touristic infrastructure to offer these necessary services compromises the quality of the tourism experience. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the content provided on official websites of major airline carriers as related to information, services, and resources to accommodate aging and disabled travelers. Airlines were selected for meeting one of the following criteria, ranked as: (1) one of the 10 best airlines; (2) one of the leading 10 airlines in terms of safety ratings; and (3) one of the leading 10 airlines in terms of lowest cost. The results show that many airlines did not provide adequate information. It is also important to notice that the safest/securest airlines were frequently those who reported most disability-related content on their websites
... Over the past decades, Shakespeare (2013) has challenged the social model, but from a critical realist perspective. Towards the end of the 1990s, Disability & Society opened its columns for debates about the social model and alternative ways to analyse disability (Gleeson 1997;Shakespeare and Watson 1997;Linton 1998b;Barnes 1999;Tregaskis 2002). In Scandinavia, S€ oder (1980, Gr€ onvik (2007) andKirkebaek (2013) have been influential in defining and redefining the concept of disability. ...
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In the 1970s, grassroots disability movements in many countries changed the thinking around disability and disability politics. Nonetheless, they were also part of larger political upheavals in the western world. How were they inspired by the socialist, feminist, and gay and lesbian movements? In addition, how did they relate to non-disabled allies? Organisations in Denmark and Sweden are investigated and compared to early disability-rights movements in the United Kingdom. Independently of each other, all groups developed materialist models, although only in Sweden and the United Kingdom did this lead to a linguistic distinction between ‘impairment’ and ‘disability’. Danish activists would rather use provocative language, while developing a social understanding of disability. They were also the only ones to discuss gender and sexuality. There are more similarities than differences between the movements, although the Danish specificities contributed to improvements in how Danes with disabilities can develop a positive sex life.
... This model draws attention to 'the economic, environmental, and cultural barriers encountered by people who are viewed by others as having some form of impairment -whether physical, sensory or intellectual' (Oliver 2009: 47). It contextualises disablement as a societal responsibility resulting from social exclusion and discrimination (Tregaskis 2002;Oliver 2009; Barnes and Mercer 2011). ...
... Disability and tourism should be discussed in tourism studies as a concept imbedded within the wider context of social entrepreneurship, which is the practice of doing business with sensitivity to social characteristics (Arranz, Ubierna, Arroyabe, Perez, & de Arroyabe, 2017;Buzinde, Shockley, Andereck, Dee, & Frank, 2016). Tregakis (2002) calls upon social model theory in relation to disability and society. Social model theory refers to the social barriers imposed on disabled people (Hughes, 2010) and posits that these are "caused by the way society is organised, rather than by a person's impairment or difference" (Scope, 2016). ...
Article
A notable development in the past few years is that the concept of accessible and inclusive tourism (AIT) has gained momentum. This paper has two aims: first, to identify the extent to which tourism studies curricula can cultivate ethical behaviour in light of international legal mandates and conventions promoting the rights of people with disabilities (PwDs); and second, to point up AIT as a broader concept that matters to other population groups, namely seniors, pregnant women and families with baby carriages, people who follow special diets or have different morphologies to be integrated into the much larger category of people with special needs (PwSNs). This study was conducted with 254 self-administered questionnaires to tourism and hospitality students and recent alumni. The results of the study suggest that disability in tourism studies is a rather neglected topic of discussion.
... In particular, it examined the exercises of the neoliberal discourse of 'self as enterprise' in the digital disability practices in the Chinese context. It also highlighted the crucial role of the state and its disability-related structure, since the absence of the state is evident in traditional critical disability studies, which are dominated by a 'social model' that ignores or marginalizes the state (Tregaskis, 2002). Second, it focused on two important and intertwined issues, namely, entrepreneurship and employment, in the research field of the digital economy. ...
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Situated in China’s neoliberal context and its rapid development of information communication technologies (ICTs), this study aimed to examine how disabled people in China transformed themselves into new self-enterprising subjects in the wave of ‘Internet + Disability.’ In order to answer this question, this study tried to develop an analytical framework to illustrate the disability practices that situated in the ICTs and neoliberal context, underpinned by the discourse of ‘self as enterprise,’ and demonstrated by the practices of entrepreneurship and employment. Based on the research design of case studies and methods that included ethnographic participant observation and in-depth interviews, this study explained how a disabled entrepreneur, Mr. Yuan, took advantage of the wave of ‘Internet + Disability’ to realize his dream of entrepreneurship and face the uncertainties of a precarious entrepreneurship. It also explained how Mr. Yuan’s employees achieved their dreams of employment but suffered the precariousness of enterprising subjects.
... The social model of disability, meanwhile, has sought to challenge this internalised oppression, by making it possible for disabled people to explore their experiences in a way that takes away blame for their own marginalisation and relocates this as a problem with the normalising society (Tregaskis, 2002). However, the social model of disability developed in the west does not necessarily work in the context of disabled people in developing countries. ...
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This paper explores the significance of engaging with the lived experiences of disabled people in countries like Burkina Faso in order to implement long-lasting and beneficial development. It looks at the way disability was conceived of in pre-colonial times and how knowledge imported from the colonisers conflicted with, and continues to influence today, indigenous knowledge in Burkina Faso. Although Burkina Faso obtained its independence from European colonisers over fifty years ago, disability as a terrain for intervention continues to be colonised by international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) that frame their approaches in western models, which are not necessarily applicable in countries like Burkina Faso. In a context where the predominant view of disability is that of disabled people being an economic burden, many disabled people in Burkina Faso feel the need to prove themselves as economically independent; and yet development agencies often do not engage with disabled people's voices when designing and implementing development programmes. This paper argues that there is a need to engage with disabled people's lived experiences and knowledges through processes such as participatory video which create spaces where marginalised people's voices can be heard and listened to by the development agencies that influence disabled people's lives.
... By problematising the often taken-for-granted perception of disability as an individual, medical category, this socio-political approach, with its various "protective belt" theories (Tregaskis, 2002), suggests that we direct our analytical lens away from the individuals and their limitations to social barriers (Oliver, 1990;Linton, 1998;Barnes and Mercer 2010;Goodley, 2010;Shakespeare, 2013). ...
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Building on the renewed interest in social work historiography, this article examines how disability was perceived and constructed by the social work profession in the first decades of the State of Israel. A discourse analysis of articles published in the country's main social work journal (Welfare, 1957-77) underscores the importance of individualised discourses focused on the disabled person, her body, tragedy and, most importantly, her personality. This emphasis leads to an examination of the personality characteristics of disabled persons as seen or attributed by practitioners. The analysis then examines the social discourses arising from these articles and that which is sorely missing in them-the voice of the disabled. Finally, the study discusses some of the factors behind these professional discourses and conceptualises them within the theoretical framework of othering. Specifically, it concludes that these discourses turned welfare into a cultural location of disability, where disabled people were constructed and (re)shaped as the Other.
... The model changes the focus from disabled individual to societal structures (Morris, 1991;Tregaskis, 2002) and of oppression to empowerment and inclusion in the lives of individuals with disability (Barnes, 2003). It rejects the idea that disability is a personal deficiency, they believe that persons with disabilities require equal treatment and they are not alone in experiencing disabilities. ...
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This research is focused on exploring the experiences of persons affected by leprosy who live in Sitanala Leprosy Village in Indonesia; in order to analyse and develop an understanding of how they give meaning to the community empowerment and social inclusion (CESI) program in that place. Qualitative, ethnographic, and observational research methods were used to collect the field data. Ethnographic and content analysis shows various causes and types of discrimination and disadvantage experienced by the people affected by leprosy. The nature and depth of disadvantage is extreme, and many state-provided services have not helped to improve their conditions to the extent they should have. The main findings in relation to the implementation of CESI program were: (a) people affected by leprosy encounter significant systemic barriers to full inclusion and participation in their community; (b) the barriers that prevented full participation in society ranged from social to physical; (c) inflexible laws, policies and practices play an important role in making the barriers more cultural and systemic; and (d) the dominance of moral and medical models make the barriers difficult to eliminate. Further, the analysis shows that lack of information of their disability and rights contribute to perpetuating the existing barriers. Finally, this research found that paternalism and unqualified community workers contribute to lowering the impacts of CESI programs in Sitanala. The findings have implications for all stakeholders, including government, non-government organisations and private sectors to provide a wider support through empowering and anti-discriminatory approaches.
... The social model, in turn, has been criticized for its own exclusion of the concerns of ethnic minorities, women, and people with learning disabilities (Corker, 1999). Others question its naiveté about physical barriers being the only reason behind the inequality and bias against disability (Tregaskis, 2002). Feminist materialist accounts have blamed this model for removing body from the discussion of disability and for not confronting the impairment more directly when the needs of the body are real, particularly for the elderly, women, and people with severe disabilities requiring maintenance and regular care (Morris, 1991). ...
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Background Limited research exists on the intricate relationship between dyslexia diagnoses and the impact of associated labels on adults. Dyslexia, affecting one in 10 adults, forming one of the largest neurodivergent groups, involves a diagnostic label that communicates difficulties but can also perpetuate stigma. This multifaceted condition includes biological, psychological, and social factors, with diverse terms used globally shaping societal perceptions. Methods This qualitative study, part of broader Australian research on dyslexic adults in employment, aims to explore preferences and perspectives on dyslexia-related labels. Involving 14 dyslexic individuals and 4 employers/managers, the study uses semi-structured interviews, employing discourse content analysis and interpretative repertoires methodology within an Intersectionality Framework. Four repertoires emerge, addressing Dyslexia the Label, Disability Label Paradigm, Dyslexia Is Not a Superpower, and The Impact of Labels on Sense of Self. Participants preferred ‘dyslexia’ over broader labels like ‘disability’, rejecting the superpower notion, while employers see dyslexia positively within work environments. Conclusion This study highlights the need for targeted support, advocating for strength-based labels to enhance self-perception and workplace environments, while addressing ableism. It calls for the dismantling of discriminatory practices in education, employment, and society for dyslexics. The research's novelty lies in its focus on adult dyslexic experiences within Australian workplaces.
Chapter
This chapter delves into the theoretical landscape surrounding the rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and their inclusion in society. It explores the evolution of thought on disability rights, tracing the journey from historical marginalization to contemporary advocacy. The chapter examines critical theoretical frameworks, including the Medical and Social Models of Disability, the Human Rights Approach, and Intersectionality. It also reviews international standards and national policies aimed at promoting PWDs’ rights and inclusion. The current landscape of inclusion in Vietnam is analyzed, highlighting successes and challenges in education, employment, and social participation. The chapter identifies barriers to inclusion, such as physical, attitudinal, and policy implementation gaps, and proposes future directions, including innovative approaches, policy recommendations, and the role of technology in enhancing accessibility and inclusion.
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The article examines life strategies of disabled women who wish to find a spouse/life partner and build a family. We take the cases of contemporary Russia and Kazakhstan as countries that in many aspects share a common post-Soviet social and cultural background. Israel, which is considered one of the countries favorable for disabled people, is additionally taken as a case for comparison, for in fact there live many impaired ex-Soviets including women with disabilities. Drawing on own field research, we attempt to outline the principal models of marital behavior of such women in the countries under examination, pinpointing their specificities in each case. We argue that despite different social and cultural surroundings as well as varying ethnic and religious traditions, the factor of double stigmatization – both of disability and of gender stigmatization – makes a profound impact on self-identifications of these women who feel more vulnerable if compared with so-called “normal” women.
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The video game industry has played a role in both affirming and erasing stereotypes surrounding minorities, especially those with disabilities. This study aims to analyse Borderlands 3's in-game narrative that represents physically disabled characters through their characterization, visualization, and individual character development in the main plot campaign, illustrating how positive representation helps fight common stigmas and negative stereotypes. By using Shakespeare's social model of disability as a theoretical framework, the analysis will view the game as text to identify physically disabled characters and determine if they face discrimination in the in-game universe. Results show that characters with prosthetics are considered 'cool' futuristic bodies symbolizing strength, while disfigured bodies still encounter discrimination with the enforcement of negative stereotypes and derogatory language. This unequal representation creates a social imbalance among physically disabled people, with the public assuming that different types of physical disabilities are superior to others. KEYWORDS Physical disability, social model of disability, unequal representation, video game narrative, Borderlands 3.
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Introduction Despite recent progressive changes in policy, practices, and discourse, when it comes to intimacy and sexuality, the rights of individuals with intellectual disabilities remain unrealized. Drawing on interviews with Israeli social workers employed in residential settings, the study seeks to better understand mechanisms and factors behind this reality. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen Israeli licensed social workers employed in small and large group homes. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed thematically. Results Using a temporal perspective, the identified themes are organized according to common, potential relationship stages: (a) forming a relationship; (b) practicalities of relationships: private and shared time; (c) dealing with relationship conflicts; (d) cohabitation; and (e) breakup. We trace the barriers experienced in each stage as well as the way social workers perceive both these barriers and their own role in overcoming them. Conclusions We suggest four root causes that underlie the intimacy-challenged life of people with intellectual disabilities in residential settings: (a) the institutional nature of residential services; (b) organizational culture and practices; (c) limited resources; and (d) the human factor. Policy Implications The current study suggests that to support individuals with intellectual disabilities in realizing their intimate citizenship, multilayered policy efforts are needed, requiring changes in the four root causes.
Article
One central aim of disability studies is to shift understandings of disability, such that disability comes to be understood as about the social disadvantage/oppression that people face when society does not cater to impairment of body/mind. Nevertheless, there remains a need for more practical tools for disability advocacy, through which to transmit disability studies’ ideas of disability to the general community. Drawing on a qualitative study of the perspectives of 23 people with physical and sensory impairments, this paper proposes virtual reality as an advocacy tool to communicate the principles and beliefs of disability studies. The findings highlight that, due to the nature of the technology, participants feel virtual reality has clear potential as a disability advocacy tool that can facilitate empathy, perspective-taking and positive social change, with a particular focus on how it is the environmental barriers and social attitudes around people that disables them. • Points of interest • More practical advocacy or informal education tools are needed that align with the principles of disability studies. • This research conducted in-depth interviews with 23 people with physical and sensory impairments. • The research finds that virtual reality has clear potential as a disability advocacy tool. • The participants reported that virtual reality can facilitate empathy, perspective-taking and positive social change. • The research finds that virtual reality focuses on how environmental barriers and social attitudes around people with disability disable them, rather than focusing on impairment experiences.
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In this paper, we present guidelines for researchers working with individuals with mild intellectual disability (MID) based on the challenges and learnings from our University of Wollongong (UOW) Community Engagement Grant (2010) project where we collaborated with representatives from the Disability Sector, Cancer Council NSW and the vulnerable community of people with MID to overcome the difficulties that they face in interpreting mainstream cancer prevention messaging and take ownership of their skin cancer checking behaviour by using co-created resources that could be easily understood and acted upon by the target audience. As a result of our project, nearly 20% of our vulnerable population sample (employees of Greenacres, a disability employment provider) checked themselves for skin cancer spots for the first time after having been given a “What’s that Spot?” book and accompanying resources (bathroom mirror stickers, hand held mirrors). The successful uptake can be directly attributed to the researchers putting aside their assumptions and overcoming the biases (conscious and unconscious) from their academic training to partner with the target population in a respectful manner and genuinely embrace the concept of inclusive research, ensuring that this overlooked and vulnerable group are afforded cancer prevention resources that work for them. This inclusive approach is evidenced by the co-creation of our “thumbs up scale” to overcome the limitations of traditional Likert scale use for our target population. Further, the generation of “trust” between researchers, participants and necessary carers should be at the forefront of all research methodology designs for those wishing to conduct research with members of the MID community.
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Purpose Despite the increase of users of Mobility Assistive Devices (MobAD), there has been a lack of accessibility in urban environments in many parts of the world. We present a systematic review of how the inaccessible design of public spaces affects quality-of-life – including aspects of health and safety, independence, and social participation – of MobAD users. Materials and methods We conducted a literature search in three databases (i.e., Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed) and initially discovered 3980 publications. We analysed 48 peer-reviewed journal articles published in English from 2005 to 2021 and assessed their quality of evidence via the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Results Findings indicated a substantial number of inaccessible elements for MobAD users in public spaces. Pathway characteristics, boarding ramps, entrance features, confined spaces, and service surfaces were deemed to be the least accessible elements. These barriers had multifaceted effects on MobAD users’ quality of life with aspects of physical health, mobility, and use of public transport being most affected. Conclusions Notwithstanding that the reviewed studies mostly ocused on wheelchair users residing in high-income countries, this review outlines the critical role of the design of the built environment as a factor of disablement for MobAD users. We conclude by highlighting a few recommendations for future research and practice, especially inclusive approaches and adaptive techniques to assist MobAD users with performing tasks in public spaces independently. • Implications for Rehabilitation • Users of Mobility Assistive Devices experience a lack of accessibility provisions in public open spaces and buildings internationally. • Physical barriers in public spaces substantially diminish the health and safety, autonomy, and social participation of users of Mobility Assistive Devices. • There is a definite need for the adoption of inclusive strategies and adaptive techniques in placemaking processes so that users of Mobility Assistive Devices can have equitable access to public spaces.
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Die politischen Erfolge der Behindertenbewegung, die Überarbeitung der internationalen Klassifikation der Funktionsfähigkeit, Behinderung und Gesundheit durch die Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) und die zunehmende Etablierung der Integrationspädagogik haben ein neues Verständnis von Behinderung etabliert: Behindert ist man nicht, behindert wird man. Die vorliegende Theorie der Behinderung zieht daraus die Konsequenzen und stellt ein Dispositiv für die Beobachtung von Behinderungen bereit. Sie macht aus der Differenz von behindert/nicht behindert ein anregendes Element der Selbstbeschreibung der Gesellschaft. Aufgrund seiner breiten Orientierung ist der Band als Einführungstext in die Disability Studies geeignet.
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Background: Participatory action research (PAR) provides an opportunity for academic researchers and adolescents to co-conduct research within an area of shared interest. Reciprocal learning occurs as co-researchers acquire research skills and knowledge, and academic researchers gain understanding of the issue being examined, from the perspective of those with lived experience. All members of the research team have a shared responsibility for the research and decision-making processes. PAR has predominantly involved adults as co-researchers. However, in recent years more effort has been made to co-conduct research with adolescents. The aim of this review is to interrogate the practices of academic researchers employing a PAR approach when working along-side disabled adolescents. Methods/design: A critical interpretive synthesis (CIS) will be conducted, allowing for a diverse range of evidence to be drawn from. A systematic search of nine databases, from 1990 onwards, will be conducted first. Reference checking will occur to elicit further relevant data. Following screening, further purposive sampling will be completed to facilitate the development of concepts and theory in line with the on-going analysis and synthesis of findings. Data analysis will involve interpretation of included papers in relation to the principles of PAR and a ‘best-practice’ framework will be developed. During analysis particular emphasis will be given to the identification of potential social barriers to the participation of disabled adolescents in PAR. Discussion: PAR is widely employed but little is known about its use when working with disabled adolescents. This current CIS will critically question the current practices of academic researchers employing PAR when working along-side disabled adolescents and future research through the best practice framework we will develop.
Article
Despite norms and regulations on accessibility, people with disabilities continue to face many problems in the built environment and it happens, in particular, in historic places and buildings. These, so numerous in Italian and European old cities, are not accessed only as tourist and/or cultural attractions but they are often accessed as public places, workspaces and study places in which accessibility should be ensured. This article is based on a qualitative research carried out in Trento, an old Italian city, in which people with disabilities and representatives of public and private organisations working in the area of urban or building construction and maintenance were interviewed. The findings show, in particular, that norms and regulations on conservation often prevail on those on accessibility, even when they could coexist and, at the same time, improve universal accessibility in historical built environments. • Points of interest • In Italy, Europe and elsewhere, standards should be applied to ensure equal rights to people with disabilities in all aspects of life, including access to the built environment. • Local, national and international governments and institutions assign great importance to the conservation of historic city centres and buildings. • This study found that there is only a partial - and often inconsistent - implementation of the laws on accessibility in historic built environments, as priority is given to the protection of such environments. • Precedence given to the conservation of historic built environments causes many accessibility issues, thus limiting the possibility of people with disabilities to move around independently and carry out everyday life activities. • The study suggests that art-historical values and accessibility can go hand in hand, in particular if people with disabilities are included in decision-making processes and can have their say through participatory planning.
Article
Background: Recovery is a widely accepted paradigm in mental health care, whilst the correctional and forensic–psychiatric field is still searching for foundations for its implementation. Knowledge regarding recovery of persons with intellectual disabilities in secure contexts is limited. This study assesses recovery needs and resources among persons with intellectual disabilities labelled not criminally responsible and investigates the impact of the judicial label on recovery processes. Methods: A sample of 26 individuals was composed purposively, and in‐depth interviews were conducted. Recurrent themes were identified using thematic analysis. Results: Traditional recovery themes emerged from the narratives, next to aspects of recovery in a forensic or correctional context. However, the operationalization and proportional impact are specific for this sample. Conclusions: The social dimension overarches all other recovery dimensions. The integration of an explicit social rhetoric is imperative, including contextual, relational, interactional and societal dimensions. This offers pathways to reverse the traditional, paternalistic model of exclusion and classification.
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The onslaught of neoliberalism, austerity measures and cuts, impact of climate change, protracted conflicts and ongoing refugee crisis, rise of far right and populist movements have all negatively impacted on disability. Yet, disabled people and their allies are fighting back and we urgently need to understand how, where and what they are doing, what they feel their challenges are and what their future needs will be. This comprehensive handbook emphasizes the importance of everyday disability activism and how activists across the world bring together a wide range of activism tactics and strategies. It also challenges the activist movements, transnational and emancipatory politics, as well as providing future directions for disability activism. With contributions from senior and emerging disability activists, academics, students and practitioners from around the globe, this handbook covers the following broad themes: • Contextualising disability activism in global activism • Neoliberalism and austerity in the global North • Rights, embodied resistance and disability activism • Belonging, identity and values: how to create diverse coalitions for rights • Reclaiming social positions, places and spaces • Social media, support and activism • Campus activism in higher education • Inclusive pedagogies, evidence and activist practices • Enabling human rights and policy • Challenges facing disability activism The Routledge Handbook of Disability Activism provides disability activists, students, academics, practitioners, development partners and policy makers with an authoritative framework for disability activism. Taylor & Francis 2019 Outstanding Handbook - Social Sciences - Award Winner http://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Handbook-of-Disability-Activism-1st-Edition/Berghs-Chaitaka-El-Lahib-Dube/p/book/9780815349303 http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781351165082 http://www.disabilityactivism.com/
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This introduction to the special issue attempts to map the intersections between disability studies on the one hand and literature and cultural studies on the other hand. We discuss concepts of disability as a social construction before we turn to literary and cultural approaches to disability, which involve controversies and questions about genre, narrative frames, recurring themes, and form. The last section gives an overview of how literary representations of disability resonate with life writing and identity theories.
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This paper details a qualitative study which examined the influence of the nature of children's disabilities on stigmatisation experienced by their parents. To explore stigmatisation, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 22 parents of children with a range of disabilities. Findings highlighted that differential treatment was experienced by all parents, regardless of the nature of their children's disabilities. However, the types of reactions from others were influenced by three key factors; visibility of the child's disability, evidence of behaviour deemed to be socially inappropriate, and perceived controllability of the disability. Parents of children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties experienced intensely negative reactions from others, whilst other parents experienced much pity. The implications of these findings for policy and practice are considered, indicating that parents may be encountering stigma solely based on the nature of their children's disabilities. The paper concludes by stressing the importance of support outlets for parents.
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There is a consistent difference of some 15 IQ points between the test means of American black and white citizens, and there has been a fierce debate as to whether this can be best accounted for by black intellectual inferiority or by such environmental factors as prejudice and discrimination. However, even supporters of the environmental hypothesis have neglected to apply it to the population-people with Down's Syndrome - to which it is most clearly applicable, and this failure of imagination indicates the boundaries of discourse in the field of intellectual disability. The complex relationship between racism and prejudice against people with Disability is illustrated by Dr Down's use of the term 'mongolism'. Down's characterisation of people with intellectual impairment as equivalent both to children and to people of different races fits the need for a working explanation of intellectual impairment. The characterisation is none the less worthless, and we need new frames to shape our observations.
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This paper is an attempt to develop a sociology of impairment and to theorise embodiment in the lebenswelt. Disability studies has failed to address adequately the fundamental issue of bodily agency. The impaired body is represented as a passive recipient of social forces. Such a conception of the body is losing ground within social theory. This paper attempts to overcome disability studies' disembodied view of disability by utilising a phenomenological concept of embodiment. Phenomenology offers the opportunity to transcend the traditional Cartesian dualisms which posit the body as a passive precultural object. However, such a view, when extended to impairment is empty of political content since phenomenological analyses have relied upon medicalised and individualised understandings of disability. In order to counter the disablism evident in phenomenology on the one side and disability studies' disembodied view of disability on the other, we argue for a radical phenomenological approach to the (impaired) body. To demonstrate the vitality of such an approach, we also attempt to deploy Leders' (1990) concept of dys-appearance as a means of analysing the carnal politics of everyday life.
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What is the case for and how would one begin to construct a sociology of impairment? This paper argues that the realignment of the disability/impairment distinction is vital for the identity politics of the disability movement. The body is at the heart of contemporary political and theoretical debate, yet the social model of disability makes it an exile. The transformation of the body from a reactionary to an emancipatory concept implies a sociology of impairment. This paper explores the contribution that post-structuralism and phenomenology might make to this end.
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Disabled people are marginalised and excluded from 'mainstream' society. In general, our understanding of the processes of exclusion is grounded in time and history. In this paper, it is argued that space, as well as time, is instrumental in reproducing and sustaining disablist practices. Disability has distinct spatialities that work to exclude and oppress disabled people. Spaces are currently organised to keep disabled people 'in their place' and 'written' to convey to disabled people that they are 'out of place'. Furthermore, social relations currently work to spatially isolate and marginalise disabled people and their carers. Disability is spatially, as well as socially, constructed. It is contended that an understanding of society's reaction to, and the experiences of, disability should be framed within an approach that combines a spatialised political economy with social constructivism. Unlike neo-Marxist approaches this approach is centred on notions of power rather than capital. Using this approach, the spatialities of disability are explored.
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My life has two phases: before the social model of disability, and after it. Discovering this way of thinking about my experiences was the proverbial raft in stormy seas. It gave me an understanding of my life, shared with thousands, even millions, of other people around the world, and I clung to it. This was the explanation I had sought for years. Suddenly what I had always known, deep down, was confirmed. It wasn’t my body that was responsible for all my difficulties, it was external factors, the barriers constructed by the society in which I live. I was being dis‑abled ‑ my capabilities and opportunities were being restricted ‑ by prejudice, discrimination, inaccessible environments and inadequate support. Even more important, if all the problems had been created by society, then surely society could un‑create them. Revolutionary! For years now this social model of disability has enabled me to confront, survive and even surmount countless situations of exclusion and discrimination. It has been my mainstay, as it has been for the wider disabled people’s movement. It has enabled a vision of ourselves free from the constraints of disability (oppression) and provided a direction for our commitment to social change. It has played a central role in promoting disabled people’s individual self‑worth, collective identity and political organisation. I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say that the social model has saved lives. Gradually, very gradually, its sphere is extending beyond our movement to influence policy and practice in the mainstream. The contribution of the social model of disability, now and in the future, to achieving equal rights for disabled people is incalculable. So how is it that, suddenly, to me, for all its strengths and relevance, the social model doesn’t seem so water‑tight anymore? It is with trepidation that I criticise it. However, when personal experience no longer matches current explanations, then it is time to question afresh.
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Impairment and imagery are neglected within the social model approaches to disability. This is connected to a neglect of representation. Comparing the experience of disabled people to that of women, I explore the prejudice underlying cultural representation, using a variety of theoretical models. I conclude by suggesting an explanation for popular prejudice against disabled people.
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This paper describes the role parents play in providing knowledge of learning disability to their adult offspring with learning disabilities. Data were derived from an in-depth qualitative study of the nature of parent-adult-offspring co-residence. The findings reveal that while parents recognised and had to deal with the stigma learning disability exerted in their own lives, they had taken steps to prevent their adult offspring from having to deal with similar difficulties. It is argued that it remains the case that learning disability is treated as a stigmatised identity and as such is rendered invisible through the strategic control of information. However, findings point towards the conclusion that there has been a cultural reversal in how this process is managed.
Book
Unrivalled in its clarity and coverage, this sparkling new edition of Chris Shilling's classic text is a masterful account of the emergence and development of body matters in sociology and related disciplines.A timely, well reasoned response to current concerns and controversies across the globe, it provides chapter-by-chapter coverage of the major theories, approaches and studies conducted in the field. Each chapter has been revised and updated, with new discussions of ‘action network theory’, bodywork, pragmatism, the global resurgence of religious identities, ‘new genetics’, biological citizenship, and figurations of the living and dead.Packed full of critical analysis and relevant empirical studies the book engages with the major classical and contemporary theories within body studies including the: Naturalistic; Constructionist; Structuralist; Realist; Interactionist; Feminist; PhenomenologicalOriginal, logical and indispensible, this is a must-have title for students and researchers engaged with the study of the body.
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In this paper it is argued that a social theory of disability can best be developed through the use of the concept of oppression. This concept is outlined, and special emphasis is placed on the importance of the social origins of impairment in such an analysis. The ways in which this approach would utilise data gathered from other theoretical perspectives is indicated. General features of a theory of disability as oppression are specified.
Article
Qualitative research with a group of blind Asian people in Leeds indicated that issues of 'difference' were perceived as more important in mobilising disabled people at a local level than the issues of 'commonality' which characterise the international disability movement. Respondents identified more strongly with their experience of specific impairment and specific cultural identity than with their common experience of disablement. It is argued that such issues are common to other social movements and that the disability movement can learn much from the histories of Black people's movements and the women's movement. In building a successful movement at a local, national and international level, disability alliances will need to challenge racist stereotypes about Black disabled people and their families. They will need to support Black-led groups which organise separately while, at the same time, creating more enabling environments for Black people to participate more fully.
Article
Introduction - Disability Definitions: The Politics of Meaning - The Cultural Production of Impairment and Disability - Disability and the Rise of Capitalism - The Ideological Construction of Disability - The Structuring of Disabled Identities - The Social Construction of the Disability Problem - The Politics of Disablement: Existing Possibilities - The Politics of Disablement: New Social Movements - Postscript: The Wind is Blowing - Bibliography - Index
Article
This article compares the social model of disability with the individual model upon which the Government's Disability Discrimination Bill is based. It uses Foucault's concepts of Power \ Knowledge and Governance, to develop an analysis which illustrates how both models of disability can impact on the identities of disabled people and local government practices. It suggests that, in order to assist disabled people to 'fashion a purpose', those disabled people and their allies working in local government need to operationalise the social model.
Article
This article arises from a research project involving the disabled members' group in UNISON, and problematises the social model which explicitly undergirds the discourses and practices of this group. In abstract terms, there are dangers that the social model can be interpreted in a way which privileges some impaired identities over others, sanctions a separatist ghetto which cannot reach out to other groups of disabled and disadvantaged people, and weaves a tangled web around researchers who adhere to the emancipatory paradigm. In concrete terms, these dangers are explored with reference to the stories of impaired people who believe that they are excluded from the disabled members' group, the predicaments of ex-disabled and differently-disabled people in relation to the movement, and the culture of suspicion surrounding academics, particularly the 'non-disabled' researcher as would-be ally. It is argued that, whilst such identities and issues might appear to be 'marginal' ones in the sense of occurring at the boundary of disabled communities, disability politics and disability studies, they should not be 'marginalised' by disabled activists and academics, and indeed that they pose challenges to our collective identities, social movements, theoretical models and research paradigms which need to be addressed.
Article
Impairment has been set aside in debates about disability dominated by the social model. This paper seeks to go beyond the Cartesianism which produces this neglect. It suggests that radical disability studies can prosper from a critique of modernity which entails a shift from its singular epistemological origins in the critique of capitalism. The argument challenges the contention that the oppression of disabled people is reducible to social restrictions which are the outcome of a set of structural determinations. It suggests that the oppression of disabled people is also umbilically linked to the visual constitution of impairment in the scopic regime of modernity. The vision of modernity is impaired by the assumption that to see is to know, that is, by its ocularcentrism. In deconstructing the visual culture of modernity, it is possible to demonstrate that the non-disabled gaze is a product of this specific way of seeing which actually constructs the world that it claims to discover. Using the work of Sartre and, to a lesser extent, Foucault, this paper argues that impairment is constructed-not discovered-in the non-disabled gaze. The invalidation and disfigurement of impaired bodies is, therefore, not simply an economic and cultural response to them, but also arises in the mode of perception which visualises and articulates them as strangers.
Article
The depiction of physical impairments in popular culture reflects as well as shapes public attitudes towards persons with disabilities. Scholars have begun to document images of disabilities (the ‘what’) in venues such as literary fiction, motion pictures, advertisements, and television programming but there has been less attention directed toward exploring the techniques through which images are delivered (the ‘how’). In this paper we explore how the story telling devices of disability—in-dialogue versus disability-in-action and the endowment of characters with compensating characteristics are employed in one segment of popular culture—literary fiction, one genre within this class—the detective novel, and one type of physical impairment—the deaf detective. Our findings suggest that the use of these devices is historically rooted and how they transform handicaps and disabilities into physical impairments thus decontextualizing what is essentially a social issue into one that is ascribed to individuals.
Article
This paper discusses the introduction of telematics technologies, which are advancing rapidly in Britain and throughout the world, and which impact increasingly on the lives of disabled people. The authors argue that, to date, technology-based services have been largely, if not exclusively, determined by the interests of care service professionals, technologists and the commercial sector. Missing from the debate has been the perspective of the disability movement, which challenges professional hegemony, and introduces important issues such as choice, control and access to the wider environment. Such a perspective is needed if technological advances are to empower disabled people and not simply provide administrative solutions to the problems of increasingly hard-pressed service providers.
Article
This article proposes that current approaches to theorising disability as a form of social oppression and their relationship to disabled people's experiences are hampered by a modernist conceptual framework, which is increasingly at odds with the contemporary social world and with developments in theory-making as a whole. In order to bring disability theory closer to the lives of disabled people and the politics of new social movements, it is argued that the conceptual underpinnings of theory must be broadened beyond their current focus on structures, which view differences in terms of delimiting boundaries to one which includes an awareness of the relational, mediatory and performative role of discourse, and the increasing importance of local knowledges in shaping the social and political world.
Article
In this paper we argue that a new model of disability is emerging within the literature by disabled people and within disability culture, expressed most clearly by the Disability Arts Movement. For the purposes of discussion we call it the affirmative model. It is essentially a non-tragic view of disability and impairment which encompasses positive social identities, both individual and collective, for disabled people grounded in the benefits of lifestyle and life experience of being impaired and disabled. This view has arisen in direct opposition to the dominant personal tragedy model of disability and impairment, and builds on the liberatory imperative of the social model. Critiques of the latter have been consistently expressed as, or interpreted as, re-affirmations of personal tragedy, particularly in relation to impairment. In this analysis the affirmation model addresses the limitations of the social model through the realisation of positive identity encompassing impairment, as well as disability.
Article
The notion of ‘citizenship’ has become a popular slogan of governments who espouse a commitment to democratic ideals. Such discourse tends to emphasise responsibilities with little serious significance being given to the question of rights. In this paper we explore the continual discrimination which disabled people experience and which militates against the realisation of meaningful citizenship. The struggle for citizenship is viewed as an affirmation of the value of choice, independent and control which disabled people conceive in terms of human rights.
Article
In this article the author traces the development and delivery of a workshop on the language and imagery of disability. Within a context of post-modernist ontology and epistemology in which he sees language as the constituent of being, he examines the perceived discrepancy between attitude and structures in relation to disability, considering on the way questions of power and identity. Using a new paradigm narrative, model he discusses the language and imagery of disability created by means of a self-contained text in the workshop, attempting to demonstrate that any language behaviour will illustrate stereotypes in the wider societal culture. Because of the textual methodology he discusses briefly the nature of ‘readership’. The workshop was for him an exploration and his discoveries lead him to examine the implications for disabled consultant/trainers and disabled people generally with respect to their relationship with non-disabled society.
Article
Contemporary disability discourse is marked by a struggle between medical and social meanings and models. The latter reflects the aspirations and youthful radicalism of the disability movement, while the former regards itself as the legitimate voice of truth in all matters associated with bodily function and process. This paper argues that the battle lines between these two camps need not be redrawn. Despite hints to the contrary, the proposed extension of the social model to accommodate a sociology of impairment does not involve a rapprochement with the medical model. On the contrary, a sociological account of impairment seeks to augment the armoury of the social model by developing one of its weaknesses, namely the cultural critique of medicine. This paper examines some of the ways in which medicine has been involved in the 'aesthetic invalidation' of disabled people and proposes that 'geneticization' is an important current contributor to this form of disability discrimination.
Article
This paper evaluates qualitative research methods in relation to the emancipatory research model. It identifies the main reasons why researchers opt for qualitative research, describes the principal data collection techniques used by them, and discusses some of the problems associated with these procedures. Drawing on insights gained from doing qualitative research in day centres for disabled young adults, I argue that these methodologies are fundamental to the emancipatory research paradigm; but their relevance can only be determined by researchers' willingness to challenge the institutions which control disability research production.
Article
The normalisation principle is the dominant paradigm in the field of learning difficulty research and service development. This paper attempts a sociological examination of the normalisation principle. It argues that the location of learning difficulty as a practice-oriented issue and its absence from a sociological agenda have rendered normalisation theoretically weak. The critique discusses the following points. The concerns of the normalisation principle reflect those of professionals rather than of people with learning difficulties. Normalisation lacks an exploration of the power relationship between (able-bodied) professionals and (disabled) service users. Finally, it encompasses no analysis of the material and ideological factors which socially construct learning difficulty and disempower and (literally) impoverish people with learning difficulties.
Article
This paper suggests that a proper understanding of disability theory requires more than a distinction between individual and social model approaches. It is also helpful to distinguish between materialist and idealist explanations. These two dimensions are used to generate a four-fold typology which highlights important differences between the main approaches. Social models are distinguished as those premised upon commonality. However, it is argued that recent discourses of 'difference' do not detract from social model theory. Social model approaches are examined in more detail and the paper concludes that although social constructionist accounts have been useful they do not provide a sufficient level of explanation. Disabling social values reflect material relations of power and may be better explained as 'ideology'.
Article
This paper suggests that current ways of thinking about disability are inadequate, both theoretically and as a basis for social policy. The main reason for this is that most writers have remained locked within a ‘personal tragedy theory of disability’ and have failed to examine the concept of disability critically. Even those writers who have attempted to take disability seriously have failed to move beyond a traditional framework and have subsequently produced sterile accounts. The final section of the paper begins to suggest what a social theory of disability might look like.
Article
People with learning difficulties often appear to experience significant incongruence between their categorical identity as someone with learning difficulties and their self-identity. This paper draws on research undertaken with 60 young adults, and their parents or carers to examine the nature of that incongruence. We conclude that it is based almost entirely in discursive relationships, whereas experiential and power relationships promote incorporation of categorical identity into self-identity. We call for more careful consideration and open discussion of the ways in which the categorical identity of people with learning difficulties is handled in discursive relations with them.
Article
The concept of border and border crossing has important implications for how we theorize cultural politics, power, ideology, pedagogy and critical intellectual work. This completely revised and updated edition takes these areas and draws new connections between postmodernism, feminism, cultural studies and critical pedagogy. Highly relevant to the times which we currently live, Giroux reflects on the limits and possibilities of border crossings in the twenty-first century and argues that in the post-9/11 world, borders have not been collapsing but vigorously rebuilt. The author identifies the most pressing issues facing critical educators at the turn of the century and discusses topics such as the struggle over the academic canon; the role of popular culture in the curriculum; and the cultural war the New Right has waged on schools. New sections deal with militarization in public spaces, empire building, and the cultural politics of neoliberalism. Those interested in cultural studies, critical race theory, education, sociology and speech communication will find this a valuable source of information.
Article
The American Diabetes Association currently recommends that all youth with type 1 diabetes over the age of 7 years follow a plan of intensive management. The purpose of this study was to describe stressors and self-care challenges reported by adolescents with type 1 diabetes who were undergoing initiation of intensive management. Subjects described initiation of intensive management as complicating the dilemmas they faced. The importance of individualized and nonjudgmental care from parents and health care providers was stressed. This study supports development of health care relationships and environments that are teen focused not merely disease-centered and embrace exploring options with the teen that will enhance positive outcomes.
Article
The politics of disability are usually interpreted as attempts to influence government policy in the direction of reducing the negative effects of impairment. This paper enlarges that conventional notion to include attention to how the disabled subject is produced by the discursive practices within which disability is administered.A summary of epistemological perspectives represented by contemporary social thought dealing with disability opens the discussion. Foucault's work is presented as the basis for interpreting recent social science literature on disability from a viewpoint which is sensitive to variations in epistemological presuppositions in that literature and to the political implications of each mode of research for the administration and treatment of disability.A concluding section contains speculation on forms of political action which are relevant to the politics of disability at the constitutive level.
Article
This paper examines the relationship between Self Advocacy and the disability movement in Britain in the light of social movement theory. Using the concept of 'collective identity' as it is explored in social movement theory, the analysis examines why the disability movement's promotion of a strong disabled identity may be difficult to achieve for all its constituents, particularly people with learning difficulties. Additionally the concept of symbolic production within social movement theory is used to explore how the movement uses the social model of disability as its 'collective action frame'. It is argued realignment of this frame is taking place within the movement and is reflected in debates within Disability Studies about the role of impairment. The voices of people with learning difficulties remain silent in this debate. The paper concludes by arguing for the recognition of social, psychological and cognitive difference as pre-requisite to an inclusive theory and politics of disability.
Article
This paper argues that a critical study of disability needs to examine how disability is subjectivity experienced, both at a conscious and an unconscious level, as well as having an appreciation of disabling social policies and structures. I begin by identifying the reasons why many social model theorists have not, in the past, seen the analysis of 'experience' as being relevant to our understanding of disability. I adopt an interdisciplinary approach (that is, one that recognises the importance of biological, social, relational and unconscious levels of analysis) in the study of two specific groups of people; those with learning difficulties and those with sickle cell anaemia. I focus particularly on the role of modern medicine within a disablist society in this attempt to demonstrate that bodily, emotional and social differences are mutually constitutive.
Article
This paper explores the issue of commonality and difference in the disabled people's movement in relation to ethnicity, gender sexuality, age and class. Hitherto, disability academics have either ignored or tagged on the experience of disabled black and minority ethnic people, women, older people, and gay men and lesbians. When they are discussed, they have more often than not been discussed separately - for example, disabled black people's experience has always been discussed separately, disabled women, disabled gay men and lesbians and disabled older women. Hence it is not surprising if 'simultaneous oppression' is perceived to be the unique experience of a minority of disabled people. Here, I suggest that it is, in fact, the experience of a majority of disabled people since the majority is not a homogenous mass of disabled white heterosexual middle-class young men, but individuals from diverse backgrounds with a wide range of identities and experiences, and to accept that their only concern is disability is to fall into the same trap as the general population most of whom only see the impairment and not the person. It is imperative to note, however, that the blame does not lie with the social model of disability, as it is sometimes assumed, for that is merely a conceptual tool. The paper discusses the concept 'simultaneous oppression' as applied to the experience of black women and later disabled black people. It is suggested that this is too simplistic an analysis to capture the day to day experience of those who possess negatively labelled multiple identities. An alternative framework is suggested to link the experience of different groups of disabled people and, hence, offer a common ground for unity in the disabled people's movement.
Article
This paper draws parallels between disability politics and the gay pride movement, in order to illustrate how different minority groups share experiences in common whilst retaining distinct qualities. Through exploring this relationship, issues such as normalisation, passing and challenging prejudice will be presented in a wider context. The social model of disability will be applied to experiences within the gay and lesbian community and the experience of dual oppressions will be addressed. The paper concludes with a focus upon the concept of the personal as political and the force of collective power.
Article
This paper discusses the relationship between political activism and theory and asks to what extent the production of disability theory is 'useful' in broad terms. Through out the paper I locate myself as part of the disabled peoples movement, and write from a position of a shared value base and analyses of a collective experience. In doing so, I make no apology for flouting academic pretentions of objectivity and neutrality. Rather, I believe I am giving essential information which clarifies my motivation and political position.
Article
The purpose of this paper is to examine the sociological processes evidenced by Western and non-Western cultures in defining and labeling persons as mentally retarded. Societal perceptions of individuals with mental impairments have meaning only within a specific cultural milieu. Regardless of any existence in an absolute sense, ‘mental retardation’ is also a sociological construct. Cross-cultural, sociological studies may yield alternative strategies for assessing mental retardation in ‘advanced’ industrialised societies, making treatment of individuals labeled retarded more effective and more humane. The knowledge gained from such studies will provide insights into the relationship which exists between the perceptions and definitions of mental retardation and the various levels of sociocultural and socioeconomic integration evidenced by humankind.
Article
As a social problem, deafness can be variously construed. Each of the primary constructions of deafness today - disability and linguistic minority - has its archetypes but most deaf children match neither of them. Organizations espousing each construction compete to 'own' deaf children and define their needs. As with service providers for blind people, the troubled-persons industry associated with deafness seeks conformity of the client to the underlying construction of deafness as disability. Some spokespersons in the disability rights movement have joined service providers in promoting the disability construction of all deafness. This neglects the fact that the DEAF-WORLD has a distinct culture and that deafness is constructed differently in that culture than it is in national cultures of hearing peoples. The implications of a shift toward the linguistic minority construction for deaf children and adults, the obstacles to such change, and the forces promoting change are examined.
Book
In the 1980s and 1990s our understanding of disability has matured and evolved. This . . . collection of essays by Michael Oliver discusses recent and perennial issues—such as the fundamental principles of disability, citizenship and community care, social policy and welfare, education, rehabilitation, the politics of new social movements and the international context. Interwoven as these issues are with the personal biography of the author, they reflect some of the major concerns which confront disabled people. The book thus represents both a personal journey of exploration and an attempt to take further our theoretical understanding of disability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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1st publ Bibliogr. na konci kapitol
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Federal policy to provide income to workers disabled by chronic illness has been under attack. Data from the Social Security Administration Survey of Disability and Work reveal that anticipation of higher levels of disability income does not correlate with cessation of work; the nature of illness and the structure of work do. Policies predicated on the myth of malingering will hurt millions of the disabled chronically ill.
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This chapter traces the employment picture for women with disabilities over the last two decades. It shows that supply-based explanations, such as medical need or willingness to work, do not explain the proportion of persons with disabilities in the workforce as well as general labor-market trends do. The growth of the service industry has provided more opportunities for women with disabilities to join the labor force over the last two decades, but often in roles of part-time work, less job security, lower pay, and little or no benefits.