Disability

Barnes, Colin|Mercer, Geof

ISBN 10: 0745625088 / ISBN 13: 9780745625089

Published by POLITY PR, 2003

About this Item

* A concise and accessible introduction to current social science debates on disability. * Chronicles how disabled people and their organizations have challenged the conventional, individualistic medical type explanations for disabled people s individual a.

Seller Inventory # 594929622

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Disability
• Publisher: POLITY PR
• Publication Date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0745625088
• ISBN 13: 9780745625089
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

For most of the twentieth century, people with disabilities have been regarded as ‘victims’ of their condition and a ‘burden’ on society. More recently, however, disabled people and their organizations across Europe and North America have challenged conventional explanations for their individual and collective disadvantage, calling for policy measures to change the image and status of disabled people in the Western world.

In this new book, Barnes and Mercer provide a concise and accessible introduction to the concept of disability. Drawing on a burgeoning ‘disability studies’ literature from around the world, and from a range of disciplinary perspectives, the authors explore the evolution of this concept and offer a wide-ranging critique of established academic, policy and professional orthodoxies. The book highlights disabled peoples’ exclusion and marginalization in key areas of social activity and participation across different historical and cultural contexts, such as family life and reproduction, education, employment, leisure, cultural imagery and politics.

The analysis concentrates on disability as a distinctive form of social oppression similar to that experienced by women, minority ethnic and ‘racial’ groups, and lesbians and gay men. Key issues addressed include: theorizing disability; historical and comparative perspectives; experiencing impairment and disability; professional and policy intervention in the lives of disabled people; disability politics, social policy and citizenship; and disability culture.

This will be essential reading for those studying sociology, social policy, social work, health studies, disability studies, and those in the therapy and nursing professions.

About the Author

Colin Barnes is Professor of Disability Studies and Geof Mercer is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Social Polity at the University of Leeds