5.1.3

Disability

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The Social Construction of Disability

The two main models of disability are the biomedical model and the social model. Those with disabilities are often stigmatised resulting in a stigmatised identity.

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Definitions

  • Disability can be defined as a physical or mental impairment, constituting a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal daily activities.
  • An impairment is defined as a loss, limitation or difference of functioning of the mind or body, on a long-term or permanent basis that is either present at birth or occurs through injury or disease.
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The biomedical model of disability

  • The biomedical model views disability as a form of abnormality.
  • Those with disabilities are seen as in need of treatment and rehabilitation in order to ‘normalise’ them, that is, make them like people who do not have such impairments.
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The social model of disability

  • The social models sees disability as socially constructed.
  • Tom Shakespeare suggests that disability is more to do with the attitudes of society than with the state of people’s bodies.
  • Such attitudes lead to stigmatisation and discrimination towards groups are not see to fit the society’s view of what is normal.
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Stigmatised identities

  • Media representations of disability are often linked to behaviours that society considers unacceptable.
  • Those with disabilities are often stigmatised resulting in a stigmatised identity.
  • Stigmatised identities can often lead to prejudice and discrimination, such as in employment or patronising and abusive attitudes from others.

Jump to other topics

1Theory & Methods

2Education with Methods in Context

3Option 1: Culture & Identity

4Option 1: Families & Households

5Option 1: Health

6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare

7Option 2: Beliefs in Society

8Option 2: Global Development

9Option 2: The Media

10Crime & Deviance

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