"Disability studies is an academic discipline that examines the meaning, nature, and consequences of disability."
It explores the cultural, social, and political meanings of disability and the experiences of people with disabilities.
Disability rights: This is the study of the social and political rights of people with disabilities.
The social construction of disability: This is the theory that disability is not a natural condition, but rather a socially constructed phenomenon.
Models of disability: This includes the different ways in which disability has been conceptualized including the medical model, social model, and cultural model.
Accessibility: This refers to the design of products, services, and environments that are usable by people with disabilities.
Intersectionality: This is the study of how different forms of oppression, such as race, gender, and disability intersect and affect people's experiences.
Disability and identity: This explores how disability shapes identity, including the experiences of people with disabilities in a variety of contexts.
Disability and culture: This examines the role of disability in culture, including representations of disability in the arts and media.
Disability and education: This is the study of how disabilities impact education, including special education and accommodations.
Disability and employment: This explores how disability affects employment opportunities and inclusion in the workplace.
Disability and healthcare: This investigates the impact of disability on health and healthcare access.
Disability and technology: This examines how technology can be used to improve accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities.
Disability and activism: This is the study of disability-related advocacy and activism, including disability rights movements and disability pride.
Disability and the law: This explores the legal rights and protections afforded to people with disabilities.
Disability and sexuality: This explores how disability impacts sexuality and relationships.
Disability and aging: This examines the unique challenges faced by older adults with disabilities.
Medical Disability Studies: Focuses on medical and biological aspects of disability, such as causes, diagnosis, and treatment. Its main goal is to understand the effects of medical and biological factors on disability.
Social Disability Studies: Concentrates on the social and cultural factors that contribute to disability, including discrimination, prejudice, and oppression. Some of the primary concerns of social disability studies include identity formation, power relations, and social inclusion/exclusion.
Critical Disability Studies: An interdisciplinary study that examines the political, social, and economic dimensions of disability. It critiques the systemic and structural issues that persist within both medical and social models of disability.
Disability Studies in Education: Pertains to the ways in which disability is studied and taught in educational institutions. It focuses on inclusive education practices, accessible curriculum, and the academic experiences of students with disabilities.
Disability Studies and the Arts: Focuses on the representation of disability in various art forms. Literature, film, and visual arts are explored to break down stereotypes and challenge conventional notions of disability.
Disability Studies and Technology: Studies the relationship between technology and disability. Its primary goal is to promote accessibility and inclusivity through technology by exploring assistive technologies, communication devices, and design solutions.
Disability Studies and International Development: Studies the impact of disability on the economic and social development of nations. Its main objective is to find ways to develop policies and practices that would benefit individuals with disabilities globally.
Disability Studies and Sports: Studies the representation, participation, and inclusion of athletes with disabilities in sports. The goal is to foster a better understanding of the social and cultural aspects of athletic performance and disability.
Disability Studies and Employment: Explores the issues surrounding employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. It focuses on barriers to employment, including discrimination, and the development of policies that create a more inclusive workforce.
Disability Studies and Advocacy: Focuses on the promotion of the rights of individuals with disabilities and works towards creating a more inclusive and accessible society. It explores concepts like disability pride, self-advocacy, and activism.
"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."