"Disability studies is an academic discipline that examines the meaning, nature, and consequences of disability."
It utilizes narrative inquiry methods to examine how disability is represented in literary texts and how disability is experienced and constructed by individuals.
Disability Studies: This is the academic field that examines the social, cultural, and political aspects of disability. It explores how people with disabilities experience and navigate the world, and how disability is constructed and represented in society.
Narrative Inquiry: This is a qualitative research approach that focuses on the stories people tell about their experiences. Narrative inquiry seeks to understand the meaning of these stories, and how they shape people's identities and beliefs.
Disability and Identity: This topic looks at how disability can be a part of a person's identity, how people with disabilities construct and negotiate their identities, and the role that disability plays in shaping their experiences and perspectives.
Ableism: This is the discrimination against people with disabilities, and it impacts many aspects of life, including education, employment, housing, and social relationships. Understanding and confronting ableism is central to disability advocacy and activism.
Representation of Disability in Media: This topic examines how people with disabilities are portrayed in films, television shows, books, and other media. Disability representation can be problematic and perpetuate harmful stereotypes, and this topic explores ways to promote more accurate and positive portrayals.
Intersectionality and Disability: This topic explores the ways in which disability intersects with other aspects of identity, such as race, gender, sexuality, and class. People with disabilities experience multiple oppressions and privileges, and understanding intersectionality is crucial for a nuanced understanding of disability.
Disability and Social Models: The social model of disability posits that disability is not an individual problem, but a social one. This topic looks at the ways in which social and cultural factors create barriers for people with disabilities, and how the social model can be used to advocate for change.
Disability Rights and Advocacy: This topic explores the history and current state of disability rights movements and advocacy. It examines the legal and political structures that impact people with disabilities, and the strategies and tactics used to advocate for change.
Disability and Emotion: This topic examines the emotional experiences of people with disabilities, including anger, grief, and joy. It explores how disability can impact emotional well-being, and how people with disabilities express and cope with their emotions.
Disability and Relationships: This topic explores the ways in which disability can impact personal relationships, including friendships, romantic partnerships, and family relationships. It looks at the challenges and opportunities that arise in relationships involving disability, and the importance of disability-positive communities of support.
"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."