The Notion of Disability as a Social Construct - Essay Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxx Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : Disability Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx @2010 Table of Contents Disability 3 Introduction 3 Contribution of Sociologists 3 Scientific Changes 7 Disability and impairment 9 Conclusion 11 Bibliography 11 Disability Introduction Sociologists have widely contributed to the analysis of the notion of disability as a social construct. Defining disability has been a complex issue for many years. This is because various models have been formulated to try and provide a standardized meaning to the concept of disability. During the sixties, the public view point of disability sparked rejection and indifference towards people with impairments. Having impairment regardless of the tragedy that caused the disability was perceived an immense shortcoming. David Pfeiffer, (1998), stated that “the lives of people with disabilities were characterized by dependency, exclusion and indifference”. Social scientists did little to transform this particular perspective. The conditions of disabled people did not generate much theoretical interests or research until the 1970 when sociologists such as C. Wright Mills provided sociological arguments which tried to change the public perception of disability. Contribution of Sociologists Sociologists have widely contributed to the analysis of the notion of disability as a social construct. The notion of social construction can commonly be understood as a by product of many human choices as opposed to laws that result from nature or divine will. A major focal point of social construction is attributed by uncovering the manner in which groups and individuals participate in the development of how they perceive social reality. It further entails evaluating how social phenomena are institutionalized, created and integrated into the traditions of human beings. Socially constructed realities are basically perceived as a continuous and dynamic process that is developed by means of people acting on their knowledge and interpretations. The argument that disability is a socially constructed phenomenon can be backed by several factors. One of the reasons to back this statement as argued by sociologists is entrenched within the definition of disability in the wider society. The world Health organization in 1980 defined disability as any lack or restriction that is caused by impairment, which affects the ability of perform tasks in a manner that is normal for living human being. This particular framework is often referred to as the medical frame work. As evident in contemporary society, many people view disability as physical impairment as proposed by the medical perspective. The social model used by most sociologists, in contrast, shifts the definition from impairment and uses the term to mean a disabling environment , social and attitudinal barriers as opposed to lack of ability. Therefore, while impairment involves functional limitation(s) which impact an individual’s body, the loss of opportunity that emanates from indirect and direct discrimination is therefore disability within the sociological perspective. According to sociologists, the use of the medical orientation for the purpose of defining disability makes disability to be socially constructed. The commision on Equal Employment Opportunity in thwe U.S in its manual for Technical Assistance provides one of its guidlines for employment as an individual having impairement that is basically not limiting substatially. This therefore implies that medical orientation is used to institutionalize the aspect of disabilty. The notion that disability is socially constructed can be derived from associating disability to specific cultural and social context. Disability cannot be a character that is universal, however, the culture of a people may influence how people perceive disability. Indeed it is evident in some language groups or cultures there is actually no term that gives reference to disability. Therefore the big question remains is this condition acceptable in such societies. Susan Wendell, 1996 noted that “ This gives reason for disability movement to champion for a society in which the mental and physical differences that exist among people are perceived and accepted as expected and normal.” Social diversity is therefore categorized in various ways. Extra ordinary culture variations associate disability to various factors. For example old age and if one commits social normalities such as going against the taboos of the community. For many cultures that are basically traditional, disability is viewed in terms to the individual’s personhood in relation to cosmology, as opposed to the inability to perform certain tasks. The Massai one of the Kenyan traditional communities view impairment in terms of punishment or a curse from God and not as a result of individual blame. The Songye community is Zaire have three distinctive categories of children with abnormality. For instance bad children with problems such as cerebral palsy and feet that are clubbed are not perceived as human beings. The other major factor that gives backing to the notion that disability is socially constructed is linked to diversity in terms of material conditions or economic conditions of a particular society. The primary constrains that gives variations in how society perceives disability is also depicted by economic viability and stability. The demand of supplies and labour in most cases influences the social structure. Morris (1994) highlighted three features which influence the relationship between forms of organization and disability. The general outcome indicated that the increasing economic pressure on families influence the level of provision to individuals with disability. If such provisions are not developed in most societies to cater for the inabilities experienced by people with disability then the implication is that disability is basically socially constructed. Transfer of knowledge and belief has been structured in a manner of developing the perception of disability as being socially constructed. For instance Judaism in Ancient periods believed that diseases and impairments were viewed as wrong doings and acted as justification for the separating a person from the rest of the community. In addition impairments such as skin disease, missing limbs and leprosy were categorized ungodliness and uncleanness therefore people with such defaults were not allowed to attend any religious function. Christianity also exhibited similar view points through warranting general support and healing, while on the other hand concluding that impairment was actually a punishment from sin. During the dark ages for instance people with impairments were required to chip in to the domestic economy. Those who experienced family rejection had to rely on charity in order to survive. In the early English church the public imagination of impairment was that it was caused by sin and the fall of Adam. People with impairments were living proof of the power of Satan’s, his existence and influence in the lives of human beings. If societal structures of fundamental believe and still have the perception that impairment is basically a misfortune then sociologists cannot be misplaced by indicating that disability is actually a social construction (Singer, 1979). As highlighted in the analysis of the features of the aspect of social construction, we found out that socially constructed realities are basically perceived as a continuous and dynamic process that is developed by means of people acting on their knowledge and interpretations. In addition to traditional view points that were used in society concerning how disability was understood, as time progressed advancements were made through medicanization and industrialization. These periods witnessed rapid expansions in terms of societal relationships and social networks. The rapid change in the faster means of handling tasks using machines did not actually favour people with impairments. Scientific Changes The rise of medical scientists paved way for a radical change towards the treatment of people with disabilities. This is due to the fact that there was expanding segregation, professional, dominance and institutionalization. In general there were many expectations that the conditions of people with impairments would improve, however the established practice of scientific medicine resulted into the development of a new form of discipline and social surveillance for disabled people. Ranges of increasing techniques were devised to classify, identify and regulate the disabled people. This resulted to therapeutic statements that are used to categories people with various medical conditions such as, abnormal and normal, insane or sane and healthy and sick. These specifications in the height of intellectual and scientific advancement were actually social constructions that were used during these periods to develop a sense of a socially constructed reality concerning the concept of disability. In contemporary society it is still evident that the perception toward disability is still socially constructed. In many circumstances the modern society has not still learnt to embrace disability as a disabling environment, social and attitudinal barriers as opposed to lack of ability. The shift to a post modern society has not actually transformed the people perception of disability (Heinemann, 1994). The advantage of linking disability to social construction as highlighted by the social model is based on the fact that the social model works effectively on large scale by handling discriminatory social structures and highlighting the need to provide legislation of civil rights to people living with disability. The social model has basically aimed at shifting the perspective of how people view disability. Therefore while they refer to impairment as functional limitation that impacts effective functioning of the body, disability on the other hand can be viewed as opportunity loss that results from indirect and direct discrimination. Social change is therefore advocated by the elimination of disabling barriers .Through perceiving things with an open mindedness prejudice and discrimination will be eliminated. Disability and impairment We need to focus on disability and impairment. On the external and internal constituents, this brings to our experiences the reality about the issue. Impairment is about our bodies' ways of working and any implications that hold for our lives. Disability is about the reaction and impact of the outside world on our particular bodies. And whilst there are common strands to the way they operate, the balance between disability and impairment, their impact and the explanations of their cause and effect will vary according to each individual's situation and from time to time (Heinemann, 1994). The renewed social model of disability provides a more comprehensive understanding of impairment and disability as a social concept. The realization of individual experiences concerning their bodies under ever circumstances is important. The comprehensive social model therefore integrates the total experience of impairment and disability (Singer, 1979). The current approach is primarily based on the proposal that once there is completion of the struggle against disability, only the aspect of impairment will remain for the people and as a result there will be no disadvantage linked with disability. In other terms, when disability draw closer to a conclusion that barrier that are socially-created will be eliminated housing, transport, education and many other challenges that face individuals with impairments will be eradicated. The termination of disability implies that people living with impairment will not again be discriminated against. Affirmative action is essential in alleviating discrimination (Heinemann, 1994). The debate on disability can be done in several perspectives, either as an individual, structural or personal issue. The individual model assumes that disabled people are inert as opposed to being active. Disability is therefore and individuals problem. They do not necessarily require relying on charity or the care of others. Any particular intervention to assist people with disability would be from service providers or policy makers. Disabled individuals are encouraged to adjust and adopt as individuals. This particular disadvantage is perceived as individual based as opposed to being collective (Heinemann &Hall, 1994). The debate that disability is public or structural issue basically proposes that disability should be accommodated as a problem of the entire society that the plight and the challenges faced by a disabled individual should be communal as opposed to being an individual based issue. In this particular analysis the structures in society should be formulated in terms of adequately catering and championing for the needs and rights of disabled people. The aspect of linking disability to the public domain can also be done through utilization of the social model which advocates that the experience of people living with disability should not purely be left at the individual level. Conclusion This particular debate on whether disability is an individual or a public issue can be made conclusive by stating that in despite of the increased efforts by sociologists and other activists to change the perception of individuals concerning disability, it is evident that disability still remains to be an individual issue as opposed to being a public issue. Bibliography David Pfeiffer, (1998), The Problem of Disability Definition, Unpublished, Honolulu, 1 Morris, J. (1994), Disability' On EqualTerms: Working with disabled people, Butterworth, London. Heinemann, C. &Hall, J. (1994), `Euthanasia: Why people wantto die earlier', Social Science and Medicine. Singer, P. (1979), Practical Ethics , Cambridge: Cambridge UniversityPress. Susan Wendell, 1996,The Rejected Body: Feminist Philosophical Reflections on Disability, Routledge, New York, 1996 p. 46 Read More