Disability Studies

There is no single, agreed-upon definition of disability.
Language for naming and describing disability changes over time and varies across regions and cultures.
Terms and/or subject classifications used in academic or clinical literature may vary from language that is used in everyday speech. Some research employs a medical model of disability while other research embraces the social model or rights-based understanding of disability.
Critical theory may use its own critical vocabulary and jargon
Some terms related to disability may be used as metaphors in other contexts
There is debate among people with disabilities about people-first language versus identity-first language.
Older work may use dated terminology

Keywords for Disability Studies by Rachel Adams (Editor); Benjamin Reiss (Editor); David Serlin (Editor)
Publication Date: 2015
Introduces key terms, concepts, debates, and histories for Disability Studies Keywords for Disability Studies aims to broaden and define the conceptual framework of disability studies for readers and practitioners in the field and beyond.

abledness, ableism,ableist, able-bodied, able-bodiedness
access, accessible, accessibility
ageism, ageist, aging
Deaf, deafness, deaf studies (some Deaf people consider themselves to be a linguistic/cultural minority, not disabled)
dis/ability, disability, disabilities, "disability studies", "disability rights", disabled
disease, dis-ease
enable, enabling
inclusion, inclusiveness, inclusivity
normalcy, normals, normative
sick, sickness
universal design

Text for this section adapted from and courtesy of UC Berkeley Libraries.

Subjects: Disability Studies