"Disability studies is an academic discipline that examines the meaning, nature, and consequences of disability."
The study of how people with disabilities experience society and how their experiences shape culture and policies.
Disability Rights and Advocacy: The study of the political and social movements led by people with disabilities to achieve equal rights, social inclusion, and protection against discrimination and marginalization.
Disability History: The study of the evolution of the understanding and treatment of disability throughout history, including medical, social, and cultural aspects.
Disability Culture: The study of the ways in which people with disabilities create and maintain a distinct identity, social networks, and artistic expressions that challenge mainstream, ableist norms.
Disability and Education: The study of the educational practices and policies that promote inclusive education for students with disabilities, socialization, and access to knowledge and skills.
Disability and Employment: The study of the obstacles and opportunities faced by people with disabilities in the labor market, including discrimination, accessibility, and vocational training.
Disability and Health: The study of the health conditions, medical interventions, and ethical issues related to disability, including chronic illness, rehabilitation, and end-of-life care.
Disability and Technology: The study of the technological innovations, hardware, and software solutions that enhance accessibility, communication, and participation for people with disabilities.
Disability and Intersectionality: The study of the interplay between disability and other social categories, such as gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, and class, and how they shape identities, experiences, and opportunities.
Disability and Language: The study of the linguistic and cultural practices that influence the perception, representation, and communication of disability, including sign languages, terminology, and discourse analysis.
Disability and Philosophy: The study of the conceptual frameworks, moral theories, and ethical dilemmas related to disability, including autonomy, justice, and human rights.
Disability and Sports: The study of the sports and leisure activities that involve people with disabilities, including adapted sports, accessible environments, and the Paralympic movement.
Disability and Transportation: The study of the transportation systems and policies that enable or hinder the mobility and independence of people with disabilities, including public transit, paratransit, and alternative modes.
Disability and Tourism: The study of the opportunities and challenges of accessible tourism for people with disabilities, including accommodations, transportation, and cultural barriers.
Disability and Visual Arts: The study of the artistic expressions and representations of disability in painting, sculpture, photography, film, and other visual media, and their impact on society and culture.
"The field focused on the division between 'impairment' and 'disability', where impairment was an impairment of an individual's mind or body, while disability was considered a social construct."
"This premise gave rise to two distinct models of disability: the social and medical models of disability."
"The social model was universally accepted as the model preferred by the field."
"In recent years, the division between the social and medical models has been challenged."
"Recent investigations suggest using 'cross-sectional markers of stratification' may help provide new insights on the non-random distribution of risk factors capable of exacerbating disablement processes."
"Disability studies courses include work in disability history, theory, legislation, policy, ethics, and the arts."
"However, students are taught to focus on the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities in practical terms."
"The field is focused on increasing individuals with disabilities' access to civil rights and improving their quality of life."
"Disability studies primarily emerged in the US, the UK, and Canada."
"In 1986, the Section for the Study of Chronic Illness, Impairment, and Disability of the Social Science Association (United States) was renamed the Society for Disability Studies."
"The first US disabilities studies program emerged in 1994 at Syracuse University."
"The first edition of the Disabilities Studies Reader was published in 1997."
"The field grew rapidly over the next ten years."
"Germany looks at queer disability studies since the beginning of the early 20th century."
"The disability studies in Germany are influenced by the written literary works of feminist sexologists who study how being disabled affects one's sexuality and ability to feel pleasure."
"In Norway, disability studies are focused on in the literary context."
"A variation emerged in 2017 with the first accessibility studies program at Central Washington University."
"[The program has] an interdisciplinary focus on social justice, universal design, and international Web Accessibility Guidelines (WAG3) as a general education knowledge base."
"Disability studies were also conducted in other countries through different lenses."