eithne mclaughlin and bronagh byrne the queens university of belfast equality and social inclusion...

Eithne McLaughlin and Bronagh Byrne

The Queens University of Belfast

Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland ProjectWorking Paper 9

Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

Project Co-ordinator: E McLaughlin, Queen’s University Belfast

Disability and Equality: themes of sameness and difference & the

challenges for theory and practice

• Review and apply recent equality theorising for/to disability• Review similarities and differences between disability and other social (in)equalities• Consider strategic implications of sameness and difference for social politics of and scholarship about disability and equality



Objectives of the paper

• Absence of disability from equality theorising• Absence of goal of equality from disability politics• Preferred disclosure of inclusion; citizenship; social rights• Policy context: Development of European ‘single equality approach’



The Context

• Impairment = abnormality of biological functioning

• Disability = the environmental response to abnormalities of functionings in the population

• Abnormality @ population level is normal



Definitions

• Identity and identification

• Intimacy

• Independence

• Integration



The ‘Four Eyes of Disability’:

• Disability is an administrative label/concept – rationing; access to services etc.• The social welfare response to disability- individualistic; impairment/intervention oriented• More a ascribed i.e. allocated than a chosen identity – imposed vs chosen ‘community’ (Williams, 1999)• Implications, communicative justice, participation, equality mainstreaming• Recognitional autonomy



Identity & identification

• The care and control complex

• Autonomy (moral; decisional; executional; recognitional)

• Language of interdependence and support/assistance



Intimacy

• Normality of interdependence;

• Legitimising human interdependence; vulnerability and need



Independence

• Normalisation and social inclusion or acceptance and celebration of difference?• Become one of the majority or have the majority adjust to the minority?



Integration

• Ontological equality (basic, moral equality & security of the person)• Equality of opportunity• Equality of condition• Equality of outcome



Equality Theorising:Turner (1996)

• Five main schools of thought:

• The ‘luck egalitarians – purpose of equality provisions is to moderate the ‘natural’ distribution of luck and good fortune, so that wellbeing/welfare becomes independent of the accident of luck (Cohen ,Gough)• The Virtuous life – purpose of equality and other social provisions is to provide everyone with the opportunity via the necessary capabilities and functioning's to create the good life of their choosing; (Sen, Naussbaum• Fair equality of opportunity• Communicative justice/equality of voice• Equality of condition



Equality Theorising at the start of the 21st century

• shared public value system of basic equality• Base levels of equality of condition required in 5 dimensions/social fields:• Respect and recognition;• Resources;• Power, participation and representation;• Love, care and solidarity;• Work employment, and learning;



Equality Theorising: Baker et al (2004) ‘Fair equality of opportunity

• Equality of voice of social groups (Young) (ideal speech and the rule of reason, Habermas)



Equality theorising: Communicative Justice

• What is social progress?

• What is human development?



Unasked questions

• Capabilities and functionings: under specification – ‘the indexing problem’• Basic capabilities – (Marx’s primary drives; Doyal and Gough’s basic needs)• Internal capabilities – Marx’s secondary drives• Combined capabilities – capability and environment = outcome



Equality Theorising: Sen (1992); Sen & Naussbaum

(2000)

• Capabilities required for the virtuous life:• Life• Bodily health• Bodily integrity• Senses, imagination and thought• Emotions• Practical reason• Affiliation• Concern for other species• Play• Control over the environment• (Source: Naussbaum, 2000: 83)



Equality Theorising: Naussbaum (2000, 2005)

• Promotion of respect and challenge to stereotyping• Affirmation of community/group identities• Facilitation of full participation and social inclusion



Equality Theorising: Feldman (2002)

• disability different to other inequalities in 4 main ways:• relative importance of autonomy• Importance and difficulty of care, love and solidarity• Extent of imposed, ascribed identity and community• Costs and scale of base levels of equality of condition• Disability same as other inequalities in two main ways:• Tolerate or assimilate difference of the minority• Commonalities and harms of oppression and inequality.



Disability Sameness and Difference Conclusions

eithne mclaughlin and bronagh byrne the queens university of belfast equality and social inclusion...

Documents

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social inclusion

supportassistance equality

normal equality

social politics

moral equality security

ireland project working

ontological equality