ASM4500

The Social Construction of Disabilities (12 points)

(ARTS)

Leader: Don Miller

Offered:
Clayton Second semester 2004 (Day)

Synopsis: The discursive construction of 'the disabled' in our society. The perception and treatment of 'disabilities' cross-culturally and throughout Western history, especially the link between the ideological construction of the 'normal' and the 'pathological' in current Western conceptions of humanity, and the demands of capitalist production for an 'able-bodied' workforce. Two case studies examined the social construction and treatment of the 'insane' and the 'deaf'.

Assessment: Two exercises (2000 words each): 40% + Essay (5000 words): 60%

Contact Hours: 2 hour seminar per week