Reconciling the Perceptions of Disability - Essay Example

Disability al Affiliation) Reconciling the Perceptions of Disability In most countries around the globe, the disabled have become organized in their quest to challenge the exclusion and oppression of the disabled individuals. Individualistic accounts and medicalization form an integral part of this struggle against the established view of disability (Lewis, 2013). As much as the historically explained problems faced by the disabled individuals include moral failing, divine punishment, and biological deficit, it is important to note that the current problems of concern both to the disabled individuals and to their allies include environmental barriers, cultural discourse, and social oppression (Shakespear, 2013). As much as medicalization of disability and individualism concepts have been beneficial to the disabled individuals in different areas such as the development of individualized health care that allows individuals to access help that is aimed at improving their lives, it is evident that these representations of the disabled have hard tremendous negative implications. As such, it is important to adopt a social model as opposed to the medical model already in place to reconcile the views of disability as a medical problem and as a social problem. Nevertheless, the application of the social model should be incorporated into considerations of the consequences as it has turned out to aggravate the exclusion of the disabled persons in some cases (Shakespear, 2013). It is important to note that disability has to be viewed as a normality to allow a positive view of the individuals and thus prevent the establishment of segregated facilities that would alienate such individuals from the activities of those perceived as ‘normal’ (Shakespear, 2013). To reconcile the approaches towards disability, it is important to ensure that the power bewildered by the medicalization and individualism approaches is minimized to return the power of controlling their lives to the disabled individuals. Instead of the segregated facilities, it is important to ensure that the disabled are provided with opportunities to live independent lives and to have full participation in societal issues. The social exclusion that is associated with disability is the core source of oppression towards these individuals. In most cases, as much as the society is divided over economic differences, the sustainability of such divisions rests within the inferiority and superiority psychological beliefs. As such, these inherent beliefs make those termed as ‘normal’ to hold themselves in high regard, above those that are disabled. Unlike other populations, individuals with disabilities face inherent problems because of their disabilities (Barnes & Mercer, 2010). Such problems form a basis for prejudice and thus leave out the disabled individuals from the general social construct. To sustain themselves, the disabled individuals have come together to form liberation networks that are led by the disabled, which focus on establishing extensive connections of disabled individuals to foster mutual support and a community that is disability inclusive (Barnes & Mercer, 2010). As much as this has been successful in some cases, it is important to note that it could be counterproductive in some cases as it segregates the disabled into a disabled network. As such, to allow inclusion into the society, it is important to ensure that the entire society is well involved in the social model to initiate mechanisms that would allow the removal of the disability stereotypes and mentality among both the disabled and those who are viewed as normal. Proper exploration of social condition besides promoting positive self-awareness among the disabled individuals would be an effective way of ensuring that such individuals do not hold an inferior view of themselves and thus that they stand up for their rights. Abolishment of all forms segregation is also an important part of ensuring that a level ground is established for both the disabled and the ‘normal’, in view of societal rights and opportunities. The disabled individuals also ought to be given control over media representation to ensure that they are represented in the rest of the society that views itself as normal (Shakespear, 2013). Poor representation is a core source of poor perception of the disabled individual, and forms a basis for prejudice. In addition, development of an economic policy that is just an inclusive would ensure that the disabled individuals are provided with the same opportunity to explore economic development avenues and thus alienate any chances of prejudice when seeking employment or licenses. A social model is important politically in the promotion of a movement for the disabled individuals on a national and global scale and thus allows for an influence on the large-scale perception of the disabled individuals (Shakespear, 2013). By shifting the view in the mainstream concerning the disabled from “disabled people” to “individuals with disabilities”, the model clearly indicates that disability is not inability and the fact that individuals have disabilities does not necessarily mean that they cannot be involved in societal development. This notion of the social model instigates that the disabled have problems and that they are not their problems. As such, mechanisms that are established to solve their problems, both the medical and social should only target the problems that such individuals have and not the individuals in themselves. On the other hand, the social model has been an important instrument for liberating disabled individuals through its identification of the social barriers that ought to be removed (Barnes & Mercer, 2010). The social model forms a practical tool and not merely a concept, idea or theory, and thus is effective in clearing the boundary established between the “disabled” and the “normal” in the society. According to the model, the major problems faced by the disabled individuals are because of the social exclusion and oppression that they face and not their personal deficits. As such, the model allows the participation of both the disabled individuals and the rest of the society in upholding of the moral responsibility requiring removal of the imposed social burdens. This provides the “normal” individuals a role to play in promoting positive life outcomes of the disabled individuals without looking at their deficits but focusing on the social problems that they face in the larger society. Lastly, the model is important in psychological improvement of the disabled individuals through enhancing their self-esteem and allowing for the development of collective identity. The model shifts focus from the individual faults that initially invalidated the disabled individuals to the social causes of the problems, which lie within the larger society and thus require the intervention of the entire society (Shakespear, 2013). In conclusion, it is evident that the individuals that view themselves as able can respect the disabled individuals by upholding the social model that shifts attention from trying to rectify the characteristics that define the disabled to the social factors that lead to problems among the disabled. As such, it is important to uphold a collaborative approach towards maintaining positive life among the disabled without propelling any mechanisms to change them. References Barnes, C., & Mercer, G. (2010). Exploring Disability. Malden, MA: Polity Press. Lewis, B. (2013). A Mad Fight: Psychiatry and Disability Activism. In L. J. Davis (Ed.), The Disability Studies Reader (pp. 115-131). New York: Routledge. Shakespear, T. (2013). The Social Model of Disability. In L. J. Davis (Ed.), The Disability Studies Reader (pp. 214-221). New York: Routledge. Read More