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Models of disability
Models of disability are analytic tools in disability studies used to articulate different ways disability is conceptualized by individuals and society broadly. Disability models are useful for understanding disagreements over disability policy, teaching people about ableism, providing disability-responsive health care, and articulating the life experiences of disabled people.
The most frequently discussed models are the medical model of disability, which views disablement as caused by medical disorders; and the social model of disability which instead views disablement being a result of societal exclusion and discrimination.
Different models can be combined: the medical model is frequently combined with the tragedy model, which views disability as a personal misfortune. Together they form hegemonic views of disability in Western society. Other models exist in direct opposition: the affirmation model, which views disability as a positive form of social identity, is inherently incompatible with the tragedy model.
Different models can be used to describe contrasting disabilities: for example, an autistic person who also has myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome may view their autism through the affirmation model, but their ME/CFS through the medical model.
This category of models centre on different deficits held by disabled people, such as the medical model (a deficit in health) and the rehabilitation model (a deficit in employment).
The tragedy model views disability as an individual's misfortune. It is one of the most dominant conceptualizations of disability in Western society. It is generally an individualistic view of disability: each disability is an individual, personal tragedy.
The tragedy model is criticized for being ableist; it is associated with the view that living with a disability is worse than death. In the tragedy model, pity is seen as an appropriate response to disability, and used to justify infanticide and other murders of disabled individuals. The tragedy model underlies the supercrip stereotype: if a disabled person is seen as thriving, it is because they did so in spite of their disability.
The charity model positions disabled people as pitiable victims, and abled people who provide them with charity as beneficent saviours. This model is frequently combined with other deficit models, such as the tragedy and medical models.
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Models of disability
Models of disability are analytic tools in disability studies used to articulate different ways disability is conceptualized by individuals and society broadly. Disability models are useful for understanding disagreements over disability policy, teaching people about ableism, providing disability-responsive health care, and articulating the life experiences of disabled people.
The most frequently discussed models are the medical model of disability, which views disablement as caused by medical disorders; and the social model of disability which instead views disablement being a result of societal exclusion and discrimination.
Different models can be combined: the medical model is frequently combined with the tragedy model, which views disability as a personal misfortune. Together they form hegemonic views of disability in Western society. Other models exist in direct opposition: the affirmation model, which views disability as a positive form of social identity, is inherently incompatible with the tragedy model.
Different models can be used to describe contrasting disabilities: for example, an autistic person who also has myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome may view their autism through the affirmation model, but their ME/CFS through the medical model.
This category of models centre on different deficits held by disabled people, such as the medical model (a deficit in health) and the rehabilitation model (a deficit in employment).
The tragedy model views disability as an individual's misfortune. It is one of the most dominant conceptualizations of disability in Western society. It is generally an individualistic view of disability: each disability is an individual, personal tragedy.
The tragedy model is criticized for being ableist; it is associated with the view that living with a disability is worse than death. In the tragedy model, pity is seen as an appropriate response to disability, and used to justify infanticide and other murders of disabled individuals. The tragedy model underlies the supercrip stereotype: if a disabled person is seen as thriving, it is because they did so in spite of their disability.
The charity model positions disabled people as pitiable victims, and abled people who provide them with charity as beneficent saviours. This model is frequently combined with other deficit models, such as the tragedy and medical models.