Disability In Different Cultures

How are disability and rehabilitation conceived of in different cultures? How can these concepts be made accessible? Studies from the fields of sociology, ethnology and educational science address these questions, while contributors from rehabilitation projects in development cooperation and from self-help movements highlight culturally different perceptions of disability. A distinctive feature of this volume is the dialogue it creates by bringing together scientific praxis and practical work. This book is a collection of virtually all the contributions presented and discussed at the symposium Local Concepts and Beliefs about Disability in Different Cultures. Here, people with disabilities from both North and South met with special education professionals, people working in development cooperation organizations and students and academics from different disciplines concerned with disability, and started a dialogue which is reflected in this volume. This dialogue, which was initiated at the symposium, should serve to continue in greater depth on the basis of this anthology. The reader has the further aim of carrying the dialogue beyond the restricted circle of symposium participants and making it accessible and comprehensible to a wider public. Disability in Different Cultures is an essential issue in development cooperation. On the one hand, disabilities, whether physical, mental or emotional, can be seen as parameters for the structural disadvantaging and deficits of the countries with so-called catching-up development. They are very frequently the results of hunger, malnutrition and wars. Thus NGOs are confronted with the issue of disability, regardless of the social and economicareas with which they are concerned. Another reason for addressing the issue of Disability in Different Cultures is that it is wide-reaching, even if it is the evident at first glance, and relates to the emancipatory potential of the topic. In exploring the wide variety of local concepts of and different ideas and beliefs about disability, it becomes strikingly clear just how differently a disability may be judged. In this light, disability can no longer be perceived as a physical, psychological or mental characteristic that a person is born with or has acquired in the course of her or his life. It becomes evident that to a large degree attitudes and interaction with others, which are usual in the respective social context form and influences the nature and extent of a disability, thereby determines the life of the disabled person.

This book provides a global and social examination of how disabilities are played out and experienced around the world. It presents auto-ethnographic perspectives on disability across cultures, societies, and countries by documenting individuals’ personal narratives, thought processes and reflections. Chapter authors share cross-cultural perspectives within and across various countries, such as India, Australia, United States, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, Croatia, Brazil, South Africa, and Qatar. Adopting a self-reflective stance following qualitative research methodology, the chapter authors discuss the current challenges in the field. Next, they deconstruct disability identities, explore the complexities of communication with differently abled persons, examine inclusive policies, practices and interventions and present insights from caregivers. The book concludes with critical reflections and a look to the future of global diversity and inclusion.

The textbook offers comprehensive understanding of the impact of cultural factors and differences on mental illness and its treatment.

This collection of essays both reframes disability in terms of social processes and offers a global, multicultural perspective on the subject. It explores the significance of mental, sensory and motor impairments in light of fundamental, culturally determined assumptions about humanity.

Studio della qualità della vita in diverse culture nel campo delle disabilità cognitive.

Performances in hospices and on beaches; cross-cultural myth making in Wales, New Zealand and the US; communal poetry among mental health system survivors: this book, now in paperback, presents a senior practitioner/critic's exploration of arts-based research processes sustained over more than a decade - a subtle engagement with disability culture.

“Disability rights activist Alice Wong brings tough conversations to the forefront of society with this anthology. It sheds light on the experience of life as an individual with disabilities, as told by none other than authors with these life experiences. It's an eye-opening collection that readers will revisit time and time again.” —Chicago Tribune One in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent—but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Activist Alice Wong brings together this urgent, galvanizing collection of contemporary essays by disabled people, just in time for the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, From Harriet McBryde Johnson’s account of her debate with Peter Singer over her own personhood to original pieces by authors like Keah Brown and Haben Girma; from blog posts, manifestos, and eulogies to Congressional testimonies, and beyond: this anthology gives a glimpse into the rich complexity of the disabled experience, highlighting the passions, talents, and everyday lives of this community. It invites readers to question their own understandings. It celebrates and documents disability culture in the now. It looks to the future and the past with hope and love.

Disabilities, Culture and Identity is a succinct and accessible presentation of current research on disability, culture and identity. It is an ideal text for students and lecturers alike studying and working in the areas of Disability Studies and Social Policy. Disabilities, Culture and Identity provides a comprehensive and well-structured introduction to an area of growing importance. The authors provide up-to-date and extensive coverage of the development of thinking on cultures of disability, including those relating to people with learning difficulties, people with mental health problems and people with learning difficulties Also covered in detail are critical areas in disability studies including: Development of the social model of disability Disability and the politics of social justice Disability and theories of culture and media Disability, ethnicity and generation The policy options for empowering disabled people, and how the disabled are empowering themselves The disability arts movement Media treatment of disability