Disability Studies

Historical Approaches to Disability

In the Western world, disability has traditionally and Historically been seen not only as something [Page 373]different, but as something negative. Disability has been seen as a moral stain or punishment, as a problem in need of fixing, and as an illness or something wrong with a person. This approach has had several major consequences for people with disabilities and how they have been seen by nondisabled people, the effects of which are still evident toDay. For Many people with disabilities, having their disability framed as something “bad” has often meant social stigmatization and societal rejection.

Not only were people with disabilities stigmatized, Many were institutionalized. Facilities were built to take care of people who were seen as being incapable of caring for themselves. Children and adults were removed from their families and friends and sent to live in these institutions, which were often located outside urban areas, thus creating a physical distance between the disabled and the nondisabled. Sometimes the rationale for this process was defended as being in the best interests of those with disabilities. Although these centers initially were seen as places to educate and train people, they eventually became places in which to house anyone who was seen as a problem for society. Severe overcrowding meant people lived in extremely inhumane conditions, which further emphasized their role as less than or not quite human beings.

As scientific knowledge began to progress, the idea of disability as a deficit or deficiency took on new meaning. Scientists sought to better understand different disabilities, and were concerned with origins, classifications, and treatment. This approach cemented the notion that disability was an unacceptable condition that science should address through cure, or if that failed, through amelioration, making the individual as close to so-called normal as possible. Scientists and physicians were soon joined by other professionals, such as psychologists, nurses, and therapists, each claiming to have unique knowledge to deal with disability. This resulted in the creation of professionalized and medicalized lenses through which disability was viewed, and resulted in people with disabilities being cast into the role of the patient, notwithstanding their actual state of health.

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