This essay will provide a comparative analysis of two different theoretical approaches to disability. These approaches include the medical model of disability and the social model of disability. Disability is a socially constructed concept that can be viewed from either a medical or social perspective. These models will be further discussed by comparing the deficits and merits of each model and how these models are interpreted. To understand these models further, various theories will be applied to uncover cultural understandings of ‘disability’. Social policies around ‘disability’ will also be explored using the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) as a policy framework and how these frameworks create implications within practice. …show more content…
These social factors prevent adequate participation and contribute to the experiences of people with disabilities (Smith 2001). Strengths of the medical model include a long history of disability research to develop knowledge and understanding of disabilities, where many successful treatments have been developed because of this research. Disability activists argue that this emphasis on a person’s biomedical condition is dehumanising as the medical condition is given primary consideration (Dirth & Branscombe 2017). A limitation of the medical model is its focus on individualising, which leads to stereotyping and defining people by a condition or limitations, causing social degradation. Another limitation includes imposing a paternalistic approach to problem-solving, while this has good intentions, it concentrates on a culture of care and therefore provides justification in institutionalisation and segregation. A limitation of the medical model is the thinking and language used perpetuates a notion of fixing. Haller et al. (2006) argue that ‘language has always had the power to define cultural groups’ (p. 61). The medical model is regarded as an inaccurate interpretation of disability forming the basis of oppressive and exploitative relationship between disabled and non-disabled people (Smith 2001). This proposes that the medical model insufficient to achieve equitable outcomes and achieve inclusion for people with disabilities (Dirth et al.
Gender has been broadly used within the humanities and social sciences as both a means to categories dissimilarities, and as a logical concept to give details differences. In both the humanities and social sciences. Disability studies has appeared partly as a result of challenges to give details gendered experience of disability and partly as a challenge to contemporary feminist theory on gender which fails to take description of disability. Disabled people have frequently been standing for as without gender, as asexual creatures, as freaks of nature, hideous, the ‘Other’ to the social norm. In this way it may be taking for granted that for disabled people gender has little bearing. However, the image of disability may be make physically powerful by gender - for women a sense of intensified passivity and helplessness, for men a dishonesties masculinity make by put into effected dependence. Moreover these images have real consequences in terms of
Culture and disability takes at its starting points the assertion that disability is culturally created and stands as a reflection of a society’s meaning of the phenomenon it created. This includes the fact that disability is a cultural reality that is both time and place dependent: what disability means is different from one social group to another and different from one historical period to another. (p. 526)
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
The social model requires society to change the way it is structured rather then blaming the individual. In contrast, the individual model makes the costumer feel at fault hence lowers his confidence, but the social model insures the costumer that it was not his fault but rather those who built the doors without thinking about the disabled minorities (Oliver, 1990). The individual model fails to distinguish the difference between impairment and illness and it assumes all bodies with disabilities are in need of medical treatment (Oliver, 1990). Although the social model does distinguish the difference it often dismisses the individual and medical approaches and thus it can be interpreted as rejecting the medical prevention (Shakespeare,
...discussion and as Baynton argues, the concept of disability plays a key role in justifying inequality in treatment. This has been shown throughout American history as reflected in the discriminatory practices that has denied women of suffrage, deprived African Americans of freedom and civil rights and prohibited immigrants from entry to the Land of Milk and Honey. Disabilities emanating from race and gender that had since been proven to be untrue or socially construed constitute a case of discrimination. Meanwhile, disabilities in lieu of diversity justify issues of exclusion or differences in treatment in order to accommodate the specific special needs of people with true disabilities.
The Medical Model of disability has been the dominant paradigm of conceptualization disability: “For over a hundred years, disability has been defined in predominantly medical terms as a chronic functional incapacity whose consequence was functional limitations assumed to result from physical or mental impairment.” This approach to understanding disability tends to be more descriptive and normative by seeking out to define what is normal and what is not. Consequently, strict normative categories abound, namely the “disabled” and “abled” dichotomy. This model views the physiological difference itself as the problem, where the individual is the focus of that said disability.
The Medical Model is one of the approaches used to understand people with disabilities, and is ‘concerned with the origin, degree, type of loss and the onset’ of a certain disability (Munoz-Baell &Ruiz, 2000; 54:40-44). This approach views a disability as something no human being wants and should be avoided at all costs if possible (Models-Deafness, 2005). The Medical Model aims to treat people with disabilities, but before treatment can take place they need to study the disabilities and conduct experiments. In some cases the tests and investigations conducted violate the subject’s (disabled person/people being studied) fundamental human rights (Chenoweth, 1995; 36). As stated in the Integrated National Disability Strategy (INDS) : Models of Disability (1997) the Medical Model is made up of establishments that cater to people with disabilities in terms of ‘providing treatment or alternatives’ to their impairment. Although they have good intentions (to assist the disabled) this models interventions result in disabled people being dependent on these institutions and the government.
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.
Disability is defined as a long term condition that restricts an individual’s daily activities (Government of Western Australia Department of Communities, n.d.). A disability can be identified in numerous types which are physical, sensory neurological and psychiatric. Due to the assistance with appropriate aids and services, the restrictions experienced by individuals with a disability may be overcome. However, the ways society perceives disability may have a significant impact on individuals living with it and also families around them. Therefore, the aim of this essay is to reflect on the social construction of disability through examining the social model of disability and how it may impact on the lives of people living with disability.
Because of the ambiguity of the definition, there is a requirement to have the social model to help to provide the answers. As the social model illustrates how the social institutions, labels, and stereotypes impact the perceived abilities of a disabled person, it is shown that the definitions of what is “normal”, “good”, and “functional” all come from the current society in which the person lives. Additionally, as culture and these definitions change with time and new ideologies and technological advances, what defines a disabled person will also change with time. This is also true across cultures as there may be different requirements to be considered “functional” or in good health in other cultures. For instance, a man unable to walk may not be as hindered in his freedom of movement if he is only required to stay in a small local area, such as a village, in comparison to a large city. However, it is also important to point out that the social model requires the medical model as well because the social model fails to focus on the individual at a more micro level. A person may see others in a similar circumstance and react in a different
The World Health Organisation, WHO, (1980) defines disability in the medical model as a physical or mental impairment that restricts participation in an activity that a ‘normal’ human being would partake, due to a lack of ability to perform the task . Michigan Disability Rights Coalition (n.d.) states that the medical model emphasizes that there is a problem regarding the abilities of the individual. They argue that the condition of the disabled persons is solely ‘medical’ and as a result the focus is to cure and provide treatment to disabled people (Michigan Disability Rights Coalition, 2014). In the medical model, issues of disability are dealt with according to defined government structures and policies and are seen as a separate issue from ordinary communal concerns (Emmet, 2005: 69). According to Enabling Teachers and Trainers to Improve the Accessibility of Adult Education (2008) people with disabilities largely disa...
People with disabilities often face societal barriers and disability evokes negative perceptions and discrimination in society. As a result of the stigma associated with disability, persons with disabilities are generally excluded from education, employment, and community life, which deprives them of opportunities essential to their social development, health and well-being (Stefan). It is such barriers and discrimination that actually set people apart from society, in many cases making them a burden to the community. The ideas and concepts of equality and full participation for persons with disabilities have been developed very far on paper, but not in reality (Wallace). The government can make numerous laws against discrimination, but this does not change the way that people with disabilities are judged in society.
Disability: Any person who has a mental or physical deterioration that initially limits one or more major everyday life activities. Millions of people all over the world, are faced with discrimination, the con of being unprotected by the law, and are not able to participate in the human rights everyone is meant to have. For hundreds of years, humans with disabilities are constantly referred to as different, retarded, or weird. They have been stripped of their basic human rights; born free and are equal in dignity and rights, have the right to life, shall not be a victim of torture or cruelty, right to own property, free in opinion and expression, freedom of taking part in government, right in general education, and right of employment opportunities. Once the 20th century
Dating back to the 1800s and earlier, society’s perspectives of people with disabilities were misunderstood. This “lack of understanding” consequently led to ridicule, rejection, labelling and stigmatisation of not only people with disabilities but people who were different to the ‘norm’ of society (Duke, 2009, p. 3). Over the years there has been a significant shift in social attitude, particularly in how students with disabilities should be educated. These social attitudes of the past and the contemporary attitudes of society today have ultimately steered the development of a more inclusive society. According to Konza (2008) ‘nominalisation’ is a significant factor to the changing attitudes of society. Nominalisation encompasses the notion that people with disabilities are entitled to “...
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