Disability Studies and Models of Disability: An introduction 17 September 2004

1. Social, Cultural and Disability Awareness (HDRS)Convenor: Professor P.N. WalshandModels and Philosophies (HDDDS)Convenor: Dr. John Hillery Disability Studies and Models of Disability: An introduction 17 September 2004 University College Dublin

2. This seminar • Introduction to disability studies • Models of disability • Medical • Social • Universal • Other models: - • Content and objectives of this module • Briefing on assignment due 13 December 2004 • Guidelines for good practice • Recommended reading, references, citations • Discussion University College Dublin

3. From: Handbook of Disability Studies (Albrecht et al., 2001) • Disability is both a private and public experience • Disability studies is an emergent field with intellectual roots in the social sciences, humanities and rehabilitation sciences. • Multiple perspectives include: disabled people, academic audience and those interested in forming social welfare policies (p. 2). University College Dublin

4. Defining disability • …an enigma that we experience but do not necessarily understand (Albrecht et al., 2001) • (it is)...directly tied to the moral principles of western cultures (Stiker, 1997) • …not simply an attribute of a person but a complex collection of conditions, activities and relationships, many of which are created by the social environment (Bickenbach et al., 1999) University College Dublin

5. Models: 1- Medical • Presumed biological reality of impairment = starting point • Functional limitations that person has = focus for rehabilitation, other interventions • Recent medical approaches adopt wider, multidimensional perspectives • Williams, 2001: Theorizing Disablity (In: Albrecht et al., 2001) University College Dublin

6. 2 - Social Models of Disability • Individual experiences - Helen Keller, others • Social constructivist view of knowledge • Development of social model of disability: See work of Linton, Oliver, Davis,inter alia. • Handicaps as…socialdisadvantages that arise from the social reception of impairments and disabilities...(Bickenbach, 1993). University College Dublin

7. 3 - Universalism: Bickenbach et al., 1999 • Disablement understood as an identifiable variation of human functioning with 3 dimensions: • Impairments • Activity limitations • Participation restrictions • ICIDH-2 - development and status • Criticisms from disability constituency • Which models generate valuable research? • Bickenbach et al., 1999 University College Dublin

8. 4 - Emerging Models? • Models reflect intellectual thinking of a time and place • Evolution likely to continue • Be critical: assumptions, sources, implications and testing power • Today - • human rights model • endorsed by EU - (see: Quinn & Bruce, 2003) • Current debates about UN Convention • cross-cutting issues University College Dublin

9. The risk of poverty Well-established link between poverty and the prevalence of (mild/moderate) ID Higher prevalence of severe ID among some minority ethnic communities who are more likely to experience poverty Bringing up a child with severe disabilities is likely to have an impact on a family’s entry into and escape from poverty * Emerson, 2004 University College Dublin

10. Poverty & Intellectual Disability (in the World’s Richer Countries) Eric Emerson Institute for Health Research Lancaster University, UK eric.emerson@lancaster.ac.uk University College Dublin

11. The Impact of Poverty on Health & Development • Mortality • Infant & childhood • CHD • Health & disability (including mental health) • Family functioning • Cognitive & linguistic development • Academic attainment University College Dublin

12. Poverty … • ‘Fundamentally, poverty is a denial of choices and opportunities, a violation of human dignity. It means lack of basic capacity to participate effectively in society.’ - UN Economic & Social Council (1998) University College Dublin

13. Child Poverty in Rich Countries(Slide from: Emerson 2004) Poverty Defined: Living in household with less than 50% of national median household income (before housing costs) Source: Unicef (2000). A League Table of Child Poverty in Rich Nations. Florence: Unicef University College Dublin

14. Institutional history of disability(Braddock & Parish, 2001) • impairment and disability • changing perceptions of poverty • intellectual disability and mental illness • Institutions emerge: Bethlem Hospital, UK (1403), San Hipólito, Mexico City (1566) • 19th century - • Residences • Training schools • Deaf community University College Dublin

15. Institutional history of disability: the 20th century(Braddock & Parish, 2001) • Institutional model expands • Social model • Beginnings of deinstitutionalization • Political activism - right to treatment • Self-advocacy • International disability rights initiatives University College Dublin

16. Institutional history of disability: an Irish perspective(from: McCormack, 2004: In: Walsh & Gash, eds.) • The Dublin House of Industry in North Brunswick Street was a typical catch-all institution, a one-stop solution to every social problem: a place for beggars, for the ill, the disabled, the destitute and the troublesome (chapter 2). University College Dublin

17. Intellectual disabilities - USA history • For a very useful and stimulating history of mental retardation (intellectual disability) in the United States, see: • Trent, J.W., 1994. Inventing the Feeble Mind. Berkeley: University of California Press. University College Dublin

18. Some cross-cutting issues • human development • children’s rights • human rights • health • ageing • justice • poverty University College Dublin

19. Good Practice Guidelines • Ethical issues • Theoretical framework • Lived experience • History - Philosophy - other disciplines for analysis • Interventions • Evidence • References - Harvard system • Participation in the courses University College Dublin

20. Content and objectivesSocial, Cultural and Disability Awareness (HDRS) University College Dublin

21. Recommended reading • Albrecht, G. Seelman, K. & Bury, M. (2001). Handbook of Disability Studies. Thousand Oaks CA: Sage. • Available in library • Quin, S. & Redmond, B. (2003). Disability and Social Policy in Ireland. Dublin: UCD Press. • Available in library - copies ordered for campus bookstore. • Walsh, PN & Gash, H (eds.) (2004). Lives and Times: Practice, Policy and People with Disability. Dublin: Ravenwell.This book comprises 16 chapters citing published evidence, key policies and examples of good practice related to supports for people with intellectual disabilities across the lifespan. • Copies ordered for campus bookstore University College Dublin

22. Additional reading • Berkson, G. (2004). Intellectual and physical disabilities in prehistory and early civilization. Mental Retardation 42, 195-208. • Copy of this article is available in CDS • Ingstad, B. & Whyte, S.R. (1995). Disability and Culture. Berkeley: University of California Press. • Copy of this book available in CDS • Walsh, PN & LeRoy, B. (2004). Women with Disabilities Aging Well: A global view (Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes) • Copies ordered for campus bookstore University College Dublin