Disability

Understanding Disability: A Complex Social Construct

Disability is a term that encompasses any condition making it difficult for individuals to perform activities or access society, varying in type and origin. It can be present from birth or acquired during life, with unique characteristics depending on the individual. Historically, disabilities have been recognized based on narrow criteria, but are not binary and can manifest differently across individuals.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, disability is defined as impairments that hinder full participation in society due to barriers. This definition highlights the importance of addressing societal limitations rather than focusing solely on individual medical conditions.

The Medical Model vs. The Social Model

There are two main models explaining disability: the medical model, which focuses on finding root causes and cures, and the social model, which considers societal limitations. Other models exist as well, such as person-first and identity-first language, which can be stigmatizing or neutral.

The Evolution of Disability Understanding

Contemporary understandings of disability derive from scientific Enlightenment concepts, with evidence of ancient care for people with disabilities. In ancient societies like Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece, people with disabilities were employed in different levels of society and had access to provisions that enabled them to visit temples and healing sanctuaries.

The Middle Ages and Beyond

During the Middle Ages, madness and other conditions were thought to be caused by demons. People with disabilities were tolerated as long as they could contribute to society. The European Enlightenment’s emphasis on reason and natural science led to the development of institutions such as asylums, clinics, and prisons that categorized human beings.

The Rise of Eugenics

Clinical medical discourse made the human body visible and led to methods of normalization, including the concept of the ‘norm’ developed by Adolphe Quetelet in the 1830s. The idea of the statistical norm became popular and tied to the rise of eugenics, with disability viewed as part of a person’s biological make-up and genetic inheritance.

The Disability Rights Movement

Disability scholars point to the Industrial Revolution and economic shift from feudalism to capitalism as prominent historical moments in understanding disability. Although there was some religious superstition surrounding disability during the Middle Ages, disabled people were able to contribute to rural economies. The Industrial Revolution and capitalism led to the wage system, where people were valued for their ability to produce like machines. As a result, disabled people became regarded as a problem to be solved or erased.

The Social Model of Disability

In the early 1970s, the disability rights movement emerged, challenging how society treated disabled people and the medical approach to disability. The social model of disability, coined by Mike Oliver in 1983, distinguished between the medical model – focusing on fixing impairments through medical care – and the social model – emphasizing that societal barriers need to be addressed.

Academic Disciplines and Models

The academic discipline of disability studies has been expanding since the late twentieth century, investigating constructions of disability and advancing the viewpoint that disability is a complex social identity. Scholars focus on topics such as ethics, policy and legislation, history, art, and more. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) defines impairment, activity, and body functions.

Disability in Society

The medical model views disability as a problem caused by disease or health conditions, requiring individual treatment and aiming for a cure. This model focuses on finding causes and cures, often positioning disability as a problem to be solved via medical intervention. For the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, a list of conditions considered disabilities includes amputation, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, blindness, cancer, cerebral palsy, deafness, diabetes, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, intellectual disability, major depressive disorder, mobility impairments requiring a wheelchair, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), spina bifida, and schizophrenia.

Assistive Technology

Assistive technology includes devices and modifications that help overcome disabilities, such as prosthetics, wheelchairs, curb cuts, standing frames, text telephones, accessible keyboards, large print, braille, speech recognition software. Software and hardware have been developed to increase accessibility for disabled people, including Voice Finger, Freedom Scientific’s JAWS, Orca (free and open-source alternative), Nuance’s Dragon NaturallySpeaking.

The Web Accessibility Initiative

The World Wide Web consortium created the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) to develop International Standards for Web Accessibility. The social model of disability sees disability as a socially created problem, requiring social action to integrate individuals into society. – The social construction of disability theory argues that disability is constructed by social expectations and institutions rather than biological differences.

Disability Activism

The term handicap originated from a game and was later applied to describe a disability. However, this concept implies that a disability is a burden or individual problem, rather than a societal issue. Accessibility refers to the degree of availability for people with disabilities to use products, services, or environments. Accommodation involves making changes to improve access, such as providing braille ballots or assistive technology.

Invisible Disabilities

Invisible disabilities are chronic illnesses and conditions that impair daily activities but may not be immediately apparent. Examples include intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and mental disorders. Employment discrimination is a significant issue for those with invisible disabilities.

Disability in the Workplace

The Paralympic Games provide an opportunity for athletes with physical disabilities to compete in various sports, while the Extremity Games cater specifically to individuals with limb loss or difference. Demographers estimate that around 10% of the global population has moderate or severe disabilities, with 80% of these individuals residing in developing countries and being of working age.

Disability and Poverty

The poverty rate for working-age people with disabilities is nearly two and a half times higher than that of people without disabilities, forming a vicious circle that perpetuates disability and poverty. The World report on disability indicates that half of all disabled people cannot afford health care, compared to a third of abled people.

Disability in Media

Media portrayals of disability frequently cast disabled characters as marginalized and reflective societal myths about disability. Common media tropes include inspiration porn, where individuals with disabilities are portrayed as inspirational figures; supercrip narratives, which center on the individual’s disability rather than their achievement; disabled villains, who embody the fear and mistrust associated with disability; and disability drops, where supposedly disabled characters are revealed to be nondisabled. These portrayals can perpetuate ableist stereotypes and reinforce societal myths about disability.

Conclusion

The journey of understanding disability is a complex one, intertwining medical, social, and cultural factors. As we continue to evolve our perspectives, it’s crucial to recognize that disability is not just an individual condition but a social construct shaped by the barriers and support systems in place. By embracing this multifaceted view, we can work towards creating more inclusive societies where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.