Disability is a thorny and muddled concept - especially in the field of disability studies - and social accounts contest with more traditional biologically based approaches in highly politicized debates. Sustained theoretical scrutiny has sometimes been lost amongst the controversy and philosophical issues have often been overlooked in favour of the sociological. Arguing about Disability fills that gap by offering analysis and debate concerning the moral nature of institutions, policy and practice, and their significance for disabled people and society.

This pioneering collection is divided into three sections covering definitions and theories of disability; disabled people in society and applied ethics. Each contributor – drawn from a wide range of academic backgrounds including disability studies, sociology, psychology, education, philosophy, law and health science – uses a philosophical framework to explore a central issue in disability studies. The issues discussed include personhood, disability as a phenomenon, social justice, discrimination and inclusion.

Providing an overview of the intersection of disability studies and philosophical ethics, Arguing about Disability is a truly interdisciplinary undertaking. It will be invaluable for all academics and students with an interest in disability studies or applied ethics, as well as disability activists.

Reviews

'Arguing About Disability is one of the first books to attempt to bring together philosophy and disability and in so doing examine the complexity of disability. This important and comprehensive collection explores disability from a range of theoretical perspectives including the ontology of disability - how liberty, justice, equality and disability are linked, as well as ethics and disability - and gives new insights into current debates on disability. This collection is a welcome contribution to the maturing of disability studies and clearly shows the invaluable contribution that philosophy cao debates on disability and disability research…'--Nick Watson, University of Glasgow

'A rich collection of new insights from scholars in philosophy, bioethics, social science, law, disability studies and special education.'--Journal of Medical Ethics

'Anyone with any philosophical background who is interested in the field of disability studies, whether or not they count themselves as philosophers, ought to read [this book], and to engage with its arguments.'--Peter Herissone-Kelly, Metapsychology Online Reviews (2009)

Contents

Introduction: The Unavoidable Alliance of Disability Studies and Philosophy - Simo Vehmas, Kristjana Kristiansen and Tom Shakespeare Part 1: Metaphysics 1. Social Justice and Disability: Competing Interpretations of the Medical and Social Models - Steven R. Smith 2. Definitions of Disability: Ethical and Other Values - Steven D. Edwards 3. The Ontology of Disability and Impairment: A Discussion of the Natural and Social F...