DEI 557 - Disabilities/Difference in America

Course unit(s): 0.5
This course will investigate how disabilities and difference have been defined and regarded, shaping and being shaped by the interrelationships of culture, law, politics, policy and education. Through the lenses of education and disability studies, students will compare and analyze representations of disability and difference across time and populations. The inherent tensions and debates between the various proposed models defining disability will also be analyzed. Topics include Deaf culture, intellectual disabilities, chronic illness, mental health, Tourette’s, autism, giftedness, and gender identity. The complexities of what we know, how we know it and the ways in which disability has been represented and, in some instances, misrepresented in American society thereby perpetuating stigma and stereotypes will be examined. Throughout the course students will be encouraged to compare and analyze these representations with a critical eye for accuracy, common stereotypes and themes that may be problematic in shaping beliefs about disability and perceptions of difference or may in fact have the power to propel and enable individuals and communities to move toward further integration, participation and empowerment. Upon successful completion of the course, students will:
● Identify how constructs of disability and difference have been defined and have shaped and been shaped across time and populations, recognizing the ethical, political and social realities.
● Develop a critical lens through which to view and question these representations, distinguishing credible portrayals and narratives from ones that perpetuate stereotypes and stigmas.
● Articulate ways in which issues of disability and difference intersect with gender, race, and class.
● Identify preconceptions of disability and notions of “normal” and begin to identify different ways in which to contextualize difference, thereby challenging beliefs and attitudes.