Description
Book SynopsisThe author offers a sweeping examination of disability identity, tracing its history and parsing the shifting forces that have shaped individual and societal understandings of ability and impairment across time.
The author focuses on the relationship between societal views and the self-conceptions of people with mental and physical impairments. The author also illuminates the impact of the disability rights movement, life-course dynamics, and race and gender in creating a diversity of disability identities. Her seminal work reveals the remarkable resilience of individuals in the face of profound social and material barriers, at the same time that it enhances our understanding of the construction and experience of “difference” in our changing society.
Trade ReviewCHOICE OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC BOOK!
“A foundational work for those who wish to explore this often-misunderstood topic.... Highly recommended.” —
Choice“An important step forward.... This book is a fascinating read for anyone interested in identity theory or disability studies.” —Christopher Johnstone,
American Journal of Sociology“Revitalizes interactionist and identity scholarship of decades past while simultaneously paving the way for crucial future advancements theoretically and practically.” —Alex I. Thompson,
Symbolic InteractionTable of ContentsStigma and Acceptance over Time. Societal Views and Self-Conceptions. Intersecting Identities Among Women and African Americans with Disabilities. The Disability Rights Movement and Identity Politics. The Diversity of Disability Orientations. Measuring Disability Identity and Orientation. Identity over the Life Course. Disability and Identity: Past, Present, Future.
