Imagined Futures: Disability Perspectives

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Questions and Answers

What is one significant risk of appropriating the term 'crip'?

It could lead to a broader understanding of disability.

It can promote the confluence of all experiences of limitation.

It may oversimplify the distinction between disabled and nondisabled individuals. (correct)

It might encourage more inclusive practices.

How does claiming 'crip' reflect on our understanding of abilities?

It negates the political implications of being disabled.

It acknowledges that abilities can shift across contexts. (correct)

It implies that all experiences of disability are identical.

It asserts that only the disabled community should use the term.

What does Linton emphasize about the categorization of disabled individuals?

It is essential for recognizing disability-based discrimination. (correct)

It creates divisions among different ability groups.

It fosters ableist misconceptions.

It is irrelevant in modern discourse.

What distinguishes a 'nondisabled claim to crip' from ableist statements?

It addresses structural inequality and exclusion. Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential outcome of exploring nondisabled claims to crip?

It can enhance critical awareness of disability discussions. Signup and view all the answers

What did the professor reject in the graduate school setting?

A paper proposal about disability studies Signup and view all the answers

What does the author argue is the main obstacle to a good life for disabled individuals?

The societal perceptions of disability Signup and view all the answers

How do the author's friends and family view their potential future?

As filled with opportunities and possibilities Signup and view all the answers

What type of disabilities have historically received more attention in disability studies?

Sensory impairments Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the text, what common theme connects both representations of the future?

The impact of present perceptions of disability Signup and view all the answers

Why is the oversight of certain chronic illnesses in disability studies particularly troubling?

They disproportionately affect marginalized groups. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following chronic conditions is notably mentioned as being overlooked in the discussions of disability studies?

Asthma Signup and view all the answers

What does the author suggest about the relationship between disability and a full life?

Having a disability does not preclude living fully and meaningfully. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect does Linton's formulation emphasize while exploring accessible futures?

Promise and potential for change. Signup and view all the answers

What was the professor's implication about the author's desire to study disability?

It indicated a need for personal healing. Signup and view all the answers

The author mentions a desire for a disability movement that does which of the following?

Engage in critical reading of various identities and locations. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of disability does the author challenge through their narrative?

The notion of disability as a sad reality Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following futures did disabled individuals help the author envision?

Engaging in community and activism Signup and view all the answers

What does the author suggest regarding the forging of disabled identities?

They have been incomplete, contested, or refused. Signup and view all the answers

How have discussions about chronic illness evolved in disability studies according to the content?

They have increased particularly for certain conditions. Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated about the political circumstances surrounding disabilities?

They have created solidarity among diverse disabilities. Signup and view all the answers

What is argued as being political decisions regarding disability?

Decisions about the future of disability and disabled people are political. Signup and view all the answers

What does the author suggest about the common perspective on a 'good' future?

It is informed by a history of ableism and disability oppression. Signup and view all the answers

What does the author propose as integral to imagining more accessible futures?

Recognizing illness and disability as elements of humanity. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements reflects the author's ambivalence towards disability?

The author finds joy in communities of disabled individuals. Signup and view all the answers

What framework does the author hold on to while imagining futures?

Politics as a framework for exploring alternative ways of being. Signup and view all the answers

What sentiment does the author express regarding becoming more disabled?

The author is not interested in becoming more disabled. Signup and view all the answers

How does the author view prenatal care and public health initiatives in relation to disability?

As essential for preventing disability and illness. Signup and view all the answers

What term does the author use to describe a political future that includes disability?

Crip futurity. Signup and view all the answers

What does the ongoing debate about the definition of 'disability' suggest?

The terms 'disability' and 'impairment' lack inherent stability. Signup and view all the answers

How does the Social Security Administration determine disability benefits?

By using fixed definitions of disability. Signup and view all the answers

According to the passage, what is a key aspect of the author's perspective on disability?

Disability is a construct that invites diverse interpretations. Signup and view all the answers

What does Simi Linton mean by stating, 'We are everywhere these days' in relation to disability?

Individuals with disabilities are gaining more visibility in society. Signup and view all the answers

What concept is associated with Joan W. Scott in the context of disability?

Collective affinity as a basis for mutual discrimination. Signup and view all the answers

What is implied about the rulings of the US Supreme Court regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act?

They create a clear distinction between disabled and non-disabled individuals. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant effect of the desire for fixed definitions of disability?

It determines eligibility for social benefits. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following categories does not fit under the author's expanded view of disability?

Healthy individuals regardless of their social context. Signup and view all the answers

What is Dutton's view on the necessity of engaging with disability as a category of analysis?

There is no need to engage with disability as it is purely a medical condition. Signup and view all the answers

According to the medical/individual model, what is considered the solution to the problem of disability?

Correcting or normalizing the pathological individual Signup and view all the answers

How do disability studies scholars and activists view disability in relation to able-bodiedness?

Disability can only be understood in opposition to able-bodiedness. Signup and view all the answers

What is the political/relational model's perspective on the source of disability?

It resides in societal prejudice and stigma. Signup and view all the answers

What does Rosemarie Garland-Thomson argue regarding the classification of bodies and minds?

They create a hierarchy that justifies unequal distribution of resources. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of disability does the medical approach emphasize?

Pathology of individuals rather than social structures. Signup and view all the answers

What do disability activists advocate for regarding the understanding of disability?

Recognition of the role of social constructs in defining disability. Signup and view all the answers

How does Dutton perceive conditions like 'blindness' and 'polio'?

As unavoidable facts of life that do not need critical attention. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introduction: Imagined Futures

The author reflects on how others imagine their future, especially in relation to disability.
Doctors initially projected a bleak future for the author, including a lack of higher education, isolation, and potential substance abuse problems.
Fellow rehabilitation patients shared equally pessimistic views, even suggesting suicide as a solution.
Strangers often projected negative futures, believing they knew the author's needs better than the author did, predicting accidents and difficulties.
These imagined futures, based on ableist assumptions, depict disability as a tragic fate, preventing a fulfilling life.
Disabled individuals, instead, envisioned positive futures, emphasizing community, opportunity, and the possibility of personal fulfillment.
The author highlights the disconnect between these two perspectives, linking how one understands disability in the present to how one imagines the future.
A "good" future is often conceptualized as one without disability, effectively excluding it and disabled bodies.
The author notes the ableist belief that disability is a negative and undesirable characteristic, a sign of no future.

Defining Disability: A Political/Relational Model

The meaning of disability is not straightforward or monolithic.
The medical model views disability as solely a medical problem, an individual pathology. It focuses on individual treatment and cures rather than addressing the social structures.
The author critiques this model, emphasizing the importance of social factors and the social model of disability, where disability is situated within social relations, environments, and attitudes.
The social model highlights social exclusion and discrimination, acknowledging impairment as distinct from disability.
The author's preferred model is political/relational, building on the social model with feminist and queer theory.
This model argues that disability is not inherent to the individual but is a product of societal relations, built environments, and social patterns.
It challenges the view that disability can be cured and insists that addressing disability necessitates social change and political transformation.
The author argues against a sharp distinction between impairment and disability, claiming both are socially constructed.

Identifying Disability: Bodies, Identities, Politics

The author challenges the idea of disability as a fixed and discrete category, emphasizing the need to acknowledge diversity within the disability community.
Disability is presented as a contested terrain, not a fixed entity.
This model seeks to recognize and address the experiences of people with visible and invisible impairments, mental illness, chronic illness, and a lack of diagnosis.
The goal is not to create a singular, unified definition of disability but to understand the diverse ways in which disability is experienced.
Some people who might identify with disability do not see themselves as "disabled."
Cultural factors, societal pressures, and historical contexts are central to understanding the lived experiences and interpretations of disability.

Time for Disability Studies and a Future for Crips

The chapter explores the temporal dimension of disability - chronic fatigue, incidence, prognosis.
This discussion critiques common assumptions about disability, technology (prosthetics), and cure.
The author links disability to discussions of reproduction, access, and environmental issues, arguing for the political potential of disability.

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Description

Explore the contrasting views on future possibilities for disabled individuals versus ableist assumptions. This quiz delves into how society's projections influence the lives of disabled persons, challenging the perception of disability as a tragic fate. Discover the importance of envisioning positive futures rooted in community and opportunity.