January 26, 2026 - 19:19
One of the things that has been raised in multiple readings that I want to think about is the definition of disability, who gets to define disability, and whether disability even needs a definition, or is it about self-identification. All of the readings so far have defined disability or an idea of how social constructs and debate influence the definition of disability, but none of them have been the same. In the foreword of “Claiming Disability” by Michael Berube, Berube writes, "...the definition of disability, like the definition of illness, is inevitably a matter of social debate and social construction..." Simi Linton continues with a different perspective, highlighting that disability is a process of self-identification, and that she, like many others, self-identify as disabled. In chapters 1 and 2 of “A Disability History of the United States,” by Kim E. Nielsen, disability is defined in a variety of ways based on cultural and historical definitions of disability in the United States. Definitions range from disability meaning someone cannot support themselves economically, to not having a gift to bring to the community, being unable to do labor or simply no definition.
Nielsen’s historical examples illustrate that disability has often been defined externally, based on what a society values at a given moment and the cultural beliefs of a certain community. This supports Berube’s argument that the definition of disability is shaped by the current social debate and construction. However, this idea pushes back against Linton’s emphasis on self-identification. In the periods Nielsen discusses, individuals were not able to claim disability as an identity, but rather disability was assigned to them by the input of their communities and beliefs. This really made me think about the intersection of disability as a personal experience and something assigned by societal definition. This is something that I hope to explore more in this course, especially how views have varied not only through the progression of the United States, but also how views in different countries vary today.