Impediments to the Disability Community's Efficacy: Identity Development and the Binary Opposition
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Authors
Begeny, Christopher T.
Issue Date
2007
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
In recent decades, the disability community has promoted legislative change resulting in
increased social integration of people with disabilities. However, they remain one of the
most marginalized subgroups. There is a socially pervasive, hierarchically structured
binary opposition between "normal" and "disabled" that cultivates discriminating social
perceptions. It propagates more than just a negative dichotomy between the disability
community and the broader community. This report focuses on how the binary opposition
affects the structure and efficacy of the disability community. In the context of identity
development, the relationship people with disabilities have with the disability label and
the disability community will be explored. This report suggests that the disability
community would increase its efficacy, as a proponent of the disabilities movement, by
complimenting its efforts towards political reformation with a reformation of its own
community structure, recognizing the negative influence of the binary opposition.
Description
iv, 47 p.
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License
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