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Critical disability theory is rooted in a critique of traditional discourses and assumptions of disability which serve to oppress persons with disabilities and infringe on their human rights. The theory is built upon the argument that “disability is not fundamentally a question of medicine or health, nor is it just an issue of sensitivity and compassion; rather, it is a question of politics and power(lessness), power over, and power to” (Devlin & Pothier, 2006, p. 2). This perspective challenges able-bodied supremacy and the oppression that arises from restricting economic and social benefits to persons with disabilities which are then redistributed as privileges to be negotiated (Oliver & Barnes, 1993; Rioux & Frazee, 1999; Rioux & Prince, 2002). Critical disability theory moves away from the individual pathology of disability (based on the biomedical model), and beyond liberalism and a social model of disability, toward...
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References
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Gillies, J. (2014). Critical Disability Theory. In: Michalos, A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_619
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