Claiming Disability: Knowledge and Identity

6. DISABILITY STUDIES/NOT DISABILITY STUDIES

6 DISABILITY STUDIES / NOT DISABILITY STUDIE S he borde r betwee n wha t i s considere d disabilit y studie s an d what i s no t i s fixed a t differen t point s b y differen t author s and researchers . Although i t i s unlikel y tha t anyon e woul d sugges t that ther e b e a n absolut e boundary , effort s t o circumscrib e th e domain an d to anticipate the consequences of limitless permeabilit y across the border s ar e worthwhile. I n thi s chapter, I a m concerne d with providin g a coheren t rational e fo r markin g a border , settin g off disabilit y studie s a s a socio-political-cultura l examinatio n o f disability fro m th e interventionis t approache s tha t characteriz e th e dominant tradition s i n the study of disability. The field o f disabilit y studie s arose , i n part , a s counterpoin t t o T the medicalize d perspective s o n disabilit y emanatin g fro m th e ap plied fields, and i n respons e t o th e marginalizatio n an d distortion s apparent acros s th e curriculum . I n on e sense , th e developmen t o f disability studie s i s a remedia l endeavor , redressin g th e sin s o f omission an d commissio n i n th e canon . Yet , i n a significan t way , disability studie s move s beyon d th e corrective . I t i s th e socio political -cultural mode l o f disability incarnate . I t provide s a n epis temological basi s fo r inquirie s an d action s tha t coul d no t hav e been imagine d fro m th e restrictiv e threshold s o f th e traditiona l curriculum. It i s timel y t o mar k thi s borde r becaus e th e nam e "Disabilit y Studies" ha s begu n t o cro p u p aroun d th e Unite d State s an d Great Britai n t o describ e graduat e an d undergraduat e program s i n everything fro m th e trainin g o f healt h car e worker s an d occupa tional therapists to course s in literary criticism examinin g represen tation an d metaphor . Th e healt h an d occupationa l therap y pro grams ' appropriatio n o f "Disabilit y Studies " compromise s th e integrity of a field designed t o explicate disability as a social, political , an d cultura l phenomenon . I n thi s chapter , I am labelin g thos e applied approache s th e "No t Disabilit y Studies." Fo r reason s to b e described here, I name them a s such not to denigrate their functio n but t o explain ho w th e appropriation o f the term compromise s th e validity and utilit y of a separate liberal arts-based inquiry . FAULTS AN D FAULT LINE S In considerin g her e ho w we migh t effectivel y an d validl y delineat e disability studies , I' d lik e t o begi n b y outlinin g th e limitation s o r problems i n th e dominan t o r traditiona l curriculum' s presentatio n of disability. Followin g i s a list of the fault s an d faul t lines , that is , the more clearly observable misrepresentations, a s well as the covert problems in the academic curriculum tha t determine how disabilit y is studied. They are presented as motivating forces for the establish ment o f a discrete field of disability studies, grounded i n th e libera l DISABILITY STUDIES/NO T DISABILIT Y STUDIE S 133 arts and set apart from th e applied fields. Each is then examine d t o determine ho w bes t t o redres s i t throug h th e developmen t o f dis ability studies. 1. Th e current presentation o f disability, predominantly i n reha bilitation an d i n specia l education , individualize s disability — the curriculu m...