This chapter reflects on the concept of “disability” and its reception by the society. Different discourses and cultural narratives give us a perspective to look at things around us in an intended manner. Disability theory aims at creating a canon where binary opposite ideas like ableness and disableness can be transgressed into a fluid category describing corporeal forms as existences. Disabled people occupy a liminal position as the mainstream narratives exclude them socially, politically, and economically. People in power can operate and manipulate the oppressive structures according to their whims. The concept of disablement calls for innumerable questions on the front of social constructionism. It focuses on the widespread discrimination that disabled people face in a society of normative existences. The aim of disability studies theorists is to do away with the categorization and labelization. Stereotypes are the preconceived notions of people that govern their thought processes and eventually influence their experiences. Life writing should be promoted to experience the lived reality of people with disabilities. This will sensitize the masses toward different corporeal forms and will denaturalize the stigma associated with them. The stigma attached to social identities shapes the culture. Negative reaction toward physical or intellectual differences gives shape to deviant social structure. The cultural forces of normalization are so strong that it is hard to fight against them, but certain measures taken by the society at large can bring about a transformation. Disability studies pave the way for many more interdisciplinary researches that cater to the problem of equal rights and status of the disabled. Social integration deinstitutionalization, citizen advocacy, and focus on inclusive education can bring about a great change in the consciousness of the masses.

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Representation of “Disability” in Cultural Narratives

  • Saumya Srivastava

摘要

This chapter reflects on the concept of “disability” and its reception by the society. Different discourses and cultural narratives give us a perspective to look at things around us in an intended manner. Disability theory aims at creating a canon where binary opposite ideas like ableness and disableness can be transgressed into a fluid category describing corporeal forms as existences. Disabled people occupy a liminal position as the mainstream narratives exclude them socially, politically, and economically. People in power can operate and manipulate the oppressive structures according to their whims. The concept of disablement calls for innumerable questions on the front of social constructionism. It focuses on the widespread discrimination that disabled people face in a society of normative existences. The aim of disability studies theorists is to do away with the categorization and labelization. Stereotypes are the preconceived notions of people that govern their thought processes and eventually influence their experiences. Life writing should be promoted to experience the lived reality of people with disabilities. This will sensitize the masses toward different corporeal forms and will denaturalize the stigma associated with them. The stigma attached to social identities shapes the culture. Negative reaction toward physical or intellectual differences gives shape to deviant social structure. The cultural forces of normalization are so strong that it is hard to fight against them, but certain measures taken by the society at large can bring about a transformation. Disability studies pave the way for many more interdisciplinary researches that cater to the problem of equal rights and status of the disabled. Social integration deinstitutionalization, citizen advocacy, and focus on inclusive education can bring about a great change in the consciousness of the masses.