Great to see discussion of the social model and how it relates to
people with learning difficulties, thus far, apparantly ignored by
the social model ... However, I feel I have to take issue with two
points that have emerged in recent discussions
(1) The social model provides an epistemological shift in relation to
disability : it is not a social theory, but a means by which we
can theorise about how disablement occurs and how the very process of
identifying 'impairment' is a socio-political practice: in 1987 Paul
Abberley argued for the need for a social theory of disability and a
social theory of impairment. Earlier, Dexter (1956, pp10-11)
stated:
'First, we need a sociology of those who study mental deficiency ...
second, we badly need a sociology of those who work in institutions
... third, we need to see mental defectives in terms of the general
theory of social problems'
and later Dingham (1968) stated:
'What should concern us is the mystifying fact that so many social
scientists ... do not regard mental retardation [sic] as a social and
cultural phenomenon. I say mystifying, because nothing in the
probabilistic world of social scientific reality is more certain than
the assertion that mental retardation [sic] is a socio-cultural
problem through and through' (p76).
These points often remain ignored when slamming the social model.
(2) People with learning difficulties are included in the
epistemology of disability: it is after all an epistemology and
theories of 'learning difficulties' are up for grabs. Indeed, People
First and other self-advocates raise important points about the
relevance of the social model to their lives (resistance, challenging
exlcusion, speaking up for one's rights - all sound like components
of the social model to me). My concern is when we start identifying
so-called limitations of the social model because ... some people,
well they're just too impaired to be included ... this is nonsense as
the self-advocacy movement has pointed out.
As Simone Aspis of London People First candidly writes:
'People with learning difficulties face discrimination in the
disability movement. People without learning difficulties use the
medical model when dealing with us. We are always asked to talk about
advocacy and our impairments as though our barriers aren't disabling
in the same way as disabled people without learning difficulties. We
want concentration on our access needs in the mainstream disability
movement' (Quoted in Campbell and Oliver 1996, p97, my italics).
The social model provides a foundation for social theories that
include people with learning difficulties and people with physical
impairment: what we need, however, are includive epistemologies and
theories
Dan Goodley
>From March 1st, 2000, I will be working at the
Disability Research Unit, University of Leeds,
Department of Sociology and Social Policy.
PLEASE NOTE THAT MY NEW EMAIL ADDRESS - FROM TODAY
IS [log in to unmask]
Dan Goodley
Bolton Institute
Department of Psychology
Deane Campus
Bolton BL3 5AB
Tel : 01204 903676
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