Controversial Issues In A Disabling Society

by John Swain, Sally French, Colin Cameron

At its best Disability Studies is an arena of critical debate addressing controversial issues concerning, not just the meaning of disability, but the nature of society, dominant values, quality of life, and even the right to live. Indeed, Disability Studies is itself the subject of controversy, in terms of its theoretical basis and who controls courses and research and whether it should be shaped and controlled by disabled academics or grassroots activists. Within these debates, generated by the social model of disability, are fundamental challenges to policy, provision and professional practice that are directly relevant to all who work with disabled people, whether in the field of social work, health or education.

Controversial Issues in a Disabling Society has been written specifically to raise questions and stimulate debate. It has been designed for use with students in group discussion, and to support in-depth study on a variety of professional courses. It covers a wide range of specific, substantive issues within Disability Studies in a series of succinct chapters. Each chapter sets a question for debate, places the key issues in context and presents a particular argument. This is an accessible and engaging book which challenges dominant positions and ideologies from a social model viewpoint of disability.

Genres: Nonfiction, Disability

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Kinch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really thought provoking work! I know a little about this subject but I was frequently challenged and made to think deeper about the issues by this book.

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a textbook, but does provide a useful resource for teachers and students. Each chapter is broken into short topic-based essays, with questions to follow. The key of the book is to provoke debate, and it does so. The only query I had while reading it was that so much definitional work and controversy over terms that the politics and policies were rendered equivalent to word selection. This may have been unintentional, but there is no doubt controversies in Disability Studies were probed.