BERNARD ETUOKWU BSc Social Sciences Part- time Year 1. Assignment 2. Consider the Social Model of Disability. How useful is this model in helping us understand the nature of Disability discrimination? Inspired by the writings of various disabled activists and scholars the 1980’s and the 1990’s,disability studies has taken on an emancipatory turn because of the paradigm shift by sociologists and activists from explaining disability in terms of individual pathology or biomedical to the ways in which environmental and cultural barriers exclude disabled people from mainstream society and everyday life. This essay will provide a definition of the social model of Disability as opposed to the bio medical model and discuss briefly the …show more content…
Disabled sociologists have been very critical of the disabling and offensive nature of much of social science research that has been done regarding disability .Oliver (1992),Abberley (1992).In terms of sociological research Morris(1992(a):201-2) advocates that there is a need for changes to the social relations of research productions and that researchers engage with the following questions in mind. Who do I want this research to influence? Who do I want to be aware of this research? Who do I want to relate to this research?. A clear message so far from social research is that what matters to the disabled is that the non-disabled recognise the profound nature of their struggles to realise a barrier-free society.Barton(2004). The emancipatory or liberating approach requires that justice ,equality and participation or inclusion be the a primary imperative. Disabled people have been subjected to a range of offensive responses by other Although the social model of disability has been celebrated as a major triumph in the socio political struggle for equality,participation and justice for the
Disability is a definition of a physical or mental condition which impacts on a person’s movements, activities and senses. People with disabilities were informed of bias and disadvantages compared to an ordinary person. There are many biases and prejudices contributed to the discrimination of individuals with a disability. Partly because of social connotations the disabled people are useless, cannot work. In fact, these extraordinary people always bring and do incredible things. They not only overcome their grim fate, but also bring good things to life, especially those who are perfectly considering better than an ordinary person, they are not aware of the capacity of individuals disabilities with them characteristics such as loyalty, dedication, and hard work.
3.3. Explain the social and medical models of disability and the impact of each on practice
1. Outline the history and development of the medical, social and psycho-social models of disability
This essay highlights and discusses models of disability reflected in two separate articles (Appendices A and B). I will identify the models of disability they represent. Both have been recently featured in the Guardian newspaper and are stories on disabled people.
The social model of disability looks at ways to address issues to enable people to achieve their potential, by looking at ways to adapt the environment so the child can feel included this is very important. The social model has been constructed by disabled people and by listening to what disabled people want and to remove any
The social model of disability which views discrimination and prejudice as being embedded in today’s society, their attitudes and their surrounding environment.
How does this social construction of disabilities impact institutional policies, and societal and individual behaviors regarding disabilities? In other words, how have people with disabilities been marginalized in the past and present at those three levels? Please be specific and provide examples to support your answers.
The social model of disability says that disability is caused by the way society looks upon things, rather than by a person’s impairment or difference. It looks at ways how removing barriers that restrict life choices for people with a disability. When barriers are removed, people with disabilities can be independent and equal in society, with choice and control over their own lives.
In today’s world, over a billion people – about one-fifth of the world’s population, experience disability. Every day, people with disabilities are suffered and challenged, not only because of their disabilities but because of people who discriminate against them. Throughout history, disability discrimination had long been deeply implanted in every aspect of life. As a result, disabled people frequently live on the margins of society and dispossess of numerous lives’ fundamental experiences. Obviously, the tremendous negative effects of discrimination against special needs on people as well as on wider society are shooting the wake-up call for both governments and individuals who should have a responsibility for seeking solutions to overcome these social problems.
However according to the World Health Organisation (2011) disabled people in Canada and around the world still continue to face discrimination in different aspects of life such as in employment and access of resources. The undertone of this report is that despite the capabilities that persons with disabilities have, they are still regarded as less of other human beings. According to Jansson, Jansenberger, and Phillips (2012), their disability becomes their defining
The dominant model of disability for the majority of the 20th century was the medical model. The medical model’s emphasis is on impairment; this is the cause of the disadvantage disabled individuals face and therefore the site of interventions (Crow, 1996). It is based in the biomedical and clinical. It views disability as a personal tragedy, an idea which is often implicit in work around disability based on the medical model. (Oliver, 1990).
A noteworthy discussion inside inability hypothesis identifies with the importance of acknowledging contrasts between individuals with incapacities. Some contend that the social way to deal with handicap ought to concentrate on the basic social oppression which individuals with disabilities face, and on their need to join politically to fight this oppression. Others fight that the conceptualisation of incapacity as a solid affair overlooks contrasts that exist between individuals with inabilities considering class, sex, race and ethnicity, sexual introduction and age.
We live in a society that is not very accepting of individual differences. There is always a norm to strive towards. But what happens if one is unable to meet these norms due to physical or mental impairment? Those who are affected by impairments are treated differently by typical-abled members of society, stigmatized, stereotyped, or pitied, all of which can make one feel subhuman. The way that our society reacts to individuals with physical and mental impairments is what causes them to be disabled. Disability is a social problem that hinders the flourishing of those affected by impairments.
Prior to the course, Perspectives on disability, my understanding of disability was a fundamental, concept of disability, in which I knew it existed, and also have seen and interacted with people considered to have a disability. I never took a deep look at all the social and political factors that exist within the spectrum of disability. This course has allowed me to examine all aspects of disability, which has changed my view and approach of what a disability is and how it is viewed. "Historically, disability has been viewed fundamentally as a persoal tragedy, which has resulted in diasbled people being seen as objects of pity or in need of charity. They have been subject to descriminatory policies and practices in which the predominant images of passivity and helplesness reinforced their inferior status"(Barton 4). Uncovering the framework of disability, by studying the historical, soicial political and educational standpoint, I see the intricacies in which gives me a greater understanding and awareness of the topic.
Meekosha (161) argues that disability is a gendered concept. Race, Ethnicity and gender are three gendered concept dimensions to disability. They can be seen in real world through social and medical models where disability is defined diversely in different backgrounds. In various contexts disabled people face gender based problems like sexuality and their disability is mutually inflected by race. Despite them facing all these gendered based problems society provides them with many facilities like: disabled games/sports, public places-different toilets and parking which are easily available and convenient for them (Reynolds et al. 14). These differences like separate toilets, parking, etc makes them standout from normal people, this reveals disabled person’s identity, them being different and separated from the normal world . This shows that they are respected and have special rights in the community (Reynolds et al. 14). This essay will primarily address the key issues in relation to disabled people, how they are categorised in different dimensions and based on that they face lot of gendered based problems like exclusion from social community, culturally powerless- seen as invisible, their gender is questioned- disabled women and men’s sexuality called into question,