Can Disability Be A Social Construct?

1017 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Essay on the history of disabilities

Throughout the course of history, people with disabilities have often been viewed through the context of their limitations. The Disability Rights Movement, beginning in the 1960’s, strived to change society’s perceptions to consider people with disabilities through their abilities instead. Positive messages of person’s abilities have begun to permeate our media, including changing ideas of how we view disability in general. Through the use of captivating personal anecdotes and scientific information to back them up, the 2015 This American Life podcast “Batman” seeks to prove that disability is a social construct, because one’s abilities are directly influenced by those around them. The podcast opens with an anecdote that at first seems unrelated to the main topic of disability as a social construct. The authors detail a science experiment in which rats are trained to run through a maze. However, through a careful analysis, it becomes clear that the example of training of rats is actually the same argument as the rest of the podcast, just through a different lens. Robert Rosenthal, a research Psychologist from the University of California Riverside, was featured in the podcast to present his experiment. He explained the scientific process of how he and his team divided a group of identical rats into two groups and labeled one group “smart” and the other “dumb.” He then had experimenters run the rats through a maze and record their times. During the course of the experiment, he found that the rats labeled “smart” consistently ran faster through the maze, even though the rats were originally identical. Through this opening vignette, the authors prepare the audience for the message of the rest of the podcast. The example of rats bei... ... middle of paper ... ...udies they incorporated into the podcast, the research and researchers were merely accepted as fact, with no discussion on the limitations or credibility of the information. These limitations were compounded by the fact that there was no cited sources at the end of the podcast, which would have allowed an intent listener to check their sources if they desired. Through the ideas presented in this podcast, it is clear that positive messages surrounding disability are being presented in the media. This podcast had the intent to convince its listeners that disability is a social construct and effectively does so through its use of accessible personal anecdotes and scientific facts. By viewing people in the light of their abilities instead of their limitations, this podcast presents a positive step towards viewing people with disabilities in a positive light as a society.

Show More
Related

  • My Body, My Closet By Anne Peterson

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    All these and more evidences used in the book support Peterson’s thesis and purpose—all of them discuss how having a disability made Peterson and others in her situation a part of the “other”. Her personal experience on media and

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Unspeakable Conversations By Harriet Mcbryde Johnson

    561 Words  | 2 Pages

    In her article “Unspeakable Conversations” author Harriet McBryde Johnson took time to inform and familiarize her readers with the details and limitations placed upon her by her disability. In her article she walked her readers through her morning routine. She told them about the assistance she needs in the morning from transferring from bed to wheelchair, to morning stretches, to bathing, to dressing, to braiding her hair. She does this not to evoke pity but to give her readers a glimpse into her world. She wants her readers to know that the quality of a disabled person’s life relies solely on another’s willingness to assist. Because those with disabilities need assistance they are often viewed as burdens. Therefore, they see themselves as

    Read More

  • Nancy Mairs, Andre Dubus, Harriet McBryde Johnson: Disability

    1916 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nancy Mairs, born in 1943, described herself as a radical feminist, pacifist, and cripple. She is crippled because she has multiple sclerosis (MS), which is a chronic disease involving damage to the nerve cells and spinal cord. In her essay Disability, Mairs’ focus is on how disabled people are portrayed, or rather un-portrayed in the media. There is more than one audience that Mairs could have been trying to reach out to with this piece. The less-obvious audience would be disabled people who can connect to her writing because they can relate to it. The more obvious audience would be physically-able people who have yet to notice the lack of disabled people being portrayed by the media. Her purpose is to persuade the audience that disabled people should be shown in the media more often, to help society better cope with and realize the presence of handicapped people. Mairs starts off by saying “For months now I’ve been consciously searching for representation of myself in the media, especially television. I know I’d recognize this self becaus...

    Read More

  • Mark Mossman By Mark Mossman

    868 Words  | 2 Pages

    As mentioned previously, the chances of becoming disabled over one’s lifetime are high, yet disabled people remain stigmatized, ostracized, and often stared upon. Assistant Professor of English at Western Illinois University, Mark Mossman shares his personal experience as a kidney transplant patient and single-leg amputee through a written narrative which he hopes will “constitute the groundwork through which disabled persons attempt to make themselves, to claim personhood or humanity” while simultaneously exploiting the “palpable tension that surrounds the visibly disabled body” (646). While he identifies the need for those with limitations to “make themselves” or “claim personhood or humanity,” Siebers describes their desires in greater detail. He suggests people with

    Read More

  • Rosie Anaya's Article 'The Best Kept Secret On Campus'

    1159 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nancy Mairs article, “Disability” (1987), explains that the world is trying to block out the fact that disability is known to be everywhere and how companies and commercial advertisers are trying to not show disabled people on their commercials so that is shows that everyone can use their product besides disabled persons. Mairs doesn 't believe this though, she believes that advertisers are scared to depict disabled people in the ordinary activities of daily life is to admit that there is something ordinary about disability itself, that it may

    Read More

  • Feminist Queer, Crip Summary

    2108 Words  | 5 Pages

    As social scientists, we are intrigued on analyzing relationships within society that can help us understand individuals and surrounding issues. In “Feminist, Queer, Crip” Kafer challenges the issue and ideas of disability through the analysis and frameworks intersected with feminist, queer, and crip theories to argue how society has rendered disability towards people with disabilities not having a “future”. Kafer quotes, “disability is seen as a sign of no future” (p.3). In other words, people with disabilities are perceived and expected to not have a future because they are not capable of conducting things as to someone who is an ableist. Kafer states that disability needs to be addressed, and mentions that “The military complex causes illness,

    Read More

  • Movie Radio Character Analysis

    582 Words  | 2 Pages

    “There's nothing more debilitating about a disability than the way people treat you over it.” (Solange Nicole). In the film ‘Radio’, a football coach named Jones befriends a disabled student nicknamed Radio despite the outrage of other people, who ended up showing that the social issue of ‘Radio’ is discriminating against people who have disabilities. “Radio” is a hard-hitting film that effectively demonstrated people’s prejudices, due to the fact that the main character Radio is locked in a shed, manipulated into going into the girl’s locker room, and arrested for no explanation other than the fact that he’s disabled.

    Read More

  • Dylan Alcott's Disability

    1496 Words  | 3 Pages

    Disability is a ‘complex issue’ (Alperstein, M., Atkins, S., Bately, K., Coetzee, D., Duncan, M., Ferguson, G., Geiger, M. Hewett, G., et al.., 2009: 239) which affects a large percentage of the world’s population. Due to it being complex, one can say that disability depends on one’s perspective (Alperstein et al., 2009: 239). In this essay, I will draw on Dylan Alcott’s disability and use his story to further explain the four models of disability being The Traditional Model, The Medical Model, The Social Model and The Integrated Model of Disability. Through this, I will reflect on my thoughts and feelings in response to Dylan’s story as well as to draw on this task and my new found knowledge of disability in aiding me to become

    Read More

  • Women With Disabilities In Good Kings Bad Kings By Susan Nussbaum

    1245 Words  | 3 Pages

    In” Disabling Imagery in the media “Barnes asserts,“Disabled people are rarely shown as integral and productive members of the community; as students, as teachers, as part of the work-force or as parents. “(11). Popular culture excludes women with disabilities because they are different. Through Joanne’s character, Nussbaum demonstrates how women with disabilities operate in their daily lives.Nussbaum description of Joanne’s daily routine shows that women with Nussbaum 's character Joanne also demonstrates how women with disabilities are not burdens on

    Read More

  • Cultural Competence and the Disabled

    882 Words  | 2 Pages

    We are born into our ethnicity, race, gender, and culture. They are a part of who we are when we enter this world. One of the few diversities that may be acquired later on in our lives is disability. All of us, regardless of where we come from, what we believe, or who we are, can be afflicted with some form of disability in our life time through disease, accident, or other conditions that render us incapable of caring for ourselves in the same way that was possible before. This knowledge creates fear and is one of the primary reasons for the prejudice and stigma our society places on the disabled. The process of recognizing this fear, becoming knowledgeable, and culturally aware, is the ideal for individuals moving towards cultural competence, However; for those who are able to move past these prejudices, other biases await them. The well-meaning who overcompensate by solicitous and over protecting behaviors may be just as harmful as those whose bias creates prejudice.

    Read More

  • Medical and Social Models of Disability

    1847 Words  | 4 Pages

    It could be said that in modern industrial society, disability is still widely regarded as a tragic individual failing, in which its “victims” require care, sympathy and medical diagnosis. Whilst medical science has served to improve and enhance the quality of life for many, it could be argued that it has also led to further segregation and separation of many individuals. This could be caused by its insistence on labelling one as “sick”, “abnormal” or “mental”. Consequently, what this act of labelling and diagnosing has done, is enforce the societal view that a disability is an abnormality that requires treatment and that any of its “victims” should do what is required to be able to function in society as an able bodied individual. The social model of disability argues against this and instead holds the view that it is society, not the individual, that needs to change and do what is required, so that everyone can function in society.

    Read More

  • Sociology and Disabilities

    1148 Words  | 3 Pages

    “If the technology became available for the deaf to hear completely, would you want your deaf child to have this technology?” It is every parent’s dream for their child to grow up healthy and happy. There are so many children in the world that do not have the ability to hear, and it is a horrible thing. Many would think it wrong for a parent to not want to give their child the gift of sight. If I had a child that was deaf, I would do everything in my power to help them get their hearing. If the technology was there to fix this disability, why wouldn’t anyone want their child to have it? “840 babies are born with a permanent hearing loss every year.”(NDCS of UK). This is a horrible number to hear, that so many children will never be able to hear. If there was any technology able to restore a child’s hearing it would be a shame if the parents didn’t get it. “Deaf children face tremendous difficulties learning to read, write and communicate with the hearing world around them.”(NDCS of UK). Not only would you be giving your child the gift of hearing by using this technology, but you will also help child to be able learn on the normal level of other children.

    Read More

  • Distability Studies: Cyberfeminist And Disability

    1462 Words  | 3 Pages

    Disability studies, like Cyberfeminism, is still developing. It’s an area of analysis and activism that’s open to some interpretation, accounting for the individual lived experiences of both individuals with impairments, and others who are affected by the stigmas disability carries. Disability is its own dichotomy that needs to be critically considered, and ultimately disbanded so that worth is not determined by a perceive lack or abundance of anything. Kafer concludes her argument for a more politically situated disability by reminding the reader that we all have “sifting abilities,” whether that be of body or of mind (13). Age, accidents, and environment can all change our level of ability at any time. So, therefore, the historical, social,

    Read More

  • Understanding the Disabled

    1223 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the essay “Disability,” Nancy Mairs discusses the lack of media attention for the disabled, writing: “To depict disabled people in the ordinary activities of life is to admit that there is something ordinary about disability itself, that it may enter anyone’s life.” An ordinary person has very little exposure to the disabled, and therefore can only draw conclusions from what is seen in the media. As soon as people can picture the disabled as regular people with a debilitating condition, they can begin to respect them and see to their needs without it seeming like an afterthought or a burden. As Mairs wrote: “The fact is that ours is the only minority you can join involuntarily, without warning, at any time.” Looking at the issue from this angle, it is easy to see that many disabled people were ordinary people prior to some sort of accident. Mairs develops this po...

    Read More

  • Discrimination Against People With Disabilities

    1586 Words  | 4 Pages

    Every day in America, a woman loses a job to a man, a homosexual high school student suffers from harassment, and someone with a physical or mental disability is looked down upon. People with disabilities make up the world’s largest and most disadvantaged minority, with about 56.7 million people living with disabilities in the United States today (Barlow). In every region of the country, people with disabilities often live on the margins of society, deprived from some of life’s fundamental experiences. They have little hope of inclusion within education, getting a job, or having their own home (Cox). Everyone deserves a fair chance to succeed in life, but discrimination is limiting opportunities and treating people badly because of their disability. Whether born from ignorance, fear, misunderstanding, or hate, society’s attitudes limit people from experiencing and appreciating the full potential a person with a disability can achieve. This treatment is unfair, unnecessary, and against the law (Purdie). Discrimination against people with disabilities is one of the greatest social injustices in the country today. Essential changes are needed in society’s basic outlook in order for people with disabilities to have an equal opportunity to succeed in life.

    Read More

More about Can Disability Be A Social Construct?

Open Document