simo vehmas [email protected]. economic downfall and its effect on disabled people and their...
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Topical starting points for disability research
Economic downfall and its effect on disabled people and their services
UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD)
WHO World report on disabilityCapabilities approach
CRPD
‘Recognizing that disability is an evolving concept and that disability results from the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others’
‘Recognizing further the diversity of persons with disabilities’
‘Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.’
commitment to an ontology that acknowledges both the physical and social dimensions of disability
WHO Report
A global picture (e.g., prevalence, environment, poverty, costs)
Health careRehabilitationAssistance and supportEnabling environmentsEducationWork and employment
Philosophy and its uses in understanding disability
Examination of the boundaries of human thought by means of examples and counter-examples
Logical argumentation & the analysis and clarification of concepts
Question and examine essential concepts and conceptions in DS, their rational credibility, logical tenability and normative soundness
The relevance of political philosophy
what would institutionally be the best way to arrange social life, and how can and should these arrangements be justified?
the meaning and significance of, for example, liberty, justice and equality
Capabilities approach
A theoretical framework that aims to set a standard for social justice
Equality and justice should be evaluated in terms of capabilities the actual freedom to pursue and excercise things and activities that are significant regarding human well-being
Society has a duty to ensure a minimum level of each central capability necessary for human dignity and well-being
minimum level must be defined, to an extent, universally and objectively because people may have accustommed themselves to discrimination adjusted their preferences to what they can achieve in a given situation
Premises of justice
Aristotelian view of humanity: we are biological and social animals, not just rational but corporeal beings as well Corporeality dependency dependency as much a
human character as independence Thus, we are all, at some points of our lives, dependent
on other people’s care it benefits us all to provide everyone with the central capabilities
The aim of social arrangements is to enable a good human life
• Capabilities and their realisation relate to an individual’s features acknowledgement of human diversity
The central human capabilities
1. Life2. Bodily health3. Bodily integrity4. Senses, imagination, and thought5. Emotions6. Practical reason7. Affiliation8. Other species9. Play10.Control over one’s environment
Applying capabilities approach The Equality and Human Rights Commission (UK)
has developed a way of measuring equality in terms of CA
1. Life 2. Health 3. Physical security 4. Legal security 5. Education and learning 6. Standard of living 7. Productive and valued activities 8. Individual, family and social life 9. Identity, expression and self-respect 10. Participation, influence and voice
Ethics
Normative ethics: general study of goodness and right action What kinds of beings should we be like? How are we to live?
Basis for normative rules and jurisdiction Producing mental tools to guide moral
reasoning Understanding the nature of right and
wrong actions, good and bad persons Moral psychology; moral responsibility
Disability as an ethical concept
What kinds of beings humans ought to be (mentally and physically)
How society ought to be constructed An undesirable state of functioning or being of
an individual Lacking abilities or possibilities that could
contribute to one’s well-being or social adequacy Individual models: individual’s insufficient
abilities tragedy Social models: undesirable state arising from
unjust social arrangements
Disability as an instrumental disadvantage
Things that enhance human well-being “the more limited an individual’s capacities
are, the more restricted his or her range of well-being will be … the profoundly cognitively impaired are incapable, for example, of deep personal and social relations, creativity and achievement, the attainment of higher forms of knowledge, aesthetic pleasures, and so on” (MacMahan 1996: 7-8) The use of empirical data directs normative
conclusions
Disability as an instrumental disadvantage
The significance of contextual factorsThe significance of impairmentsWell-being essentially a subjective
concept; it unavoidably concerns what is good or bad for the subject in question
Disability as an intrinsic disadvantage
Things that are intrinsically valuable – in a way that needs no further explanation or justification
Happiness? Subjective vs. objective criteria
Disability as an intrinsic disadvantage
Opportunities? Harmed conditions that someone has a strong
rational preference not to be in “The intellectually disabled do miss out on some
dimensions of experience which are closed to them in the way that music is closed to the deaf. And this is a disability.” (Harris 2001: 384)
The more opportunities, the better? “sources of shared experience and social
interaction … our social life and culture are built around some of those functions” (Wasserman 1996: 133)
A disadvantage but disadvantageous on balance?
Conclusion
Our research agenda should be based on Timely social, political and private issues Plurality of methods and theories Political and ethical engagement
Not just to understand things better, but also, to make things better
1. The capability to be alive
including, for example, being able to: avoid premature mortality through
disease, neglect, injury or suicide; and be protected from being killed or
murdered.
2. The capability to be healthy including, for example, being able to: attain the highest possible standard of physical
and mental health, including sexual and reproductive health Prioritising in health care? Disability and parenthood?
access to timely and impartial information about health and healthcare options
be free from the stigmatisation associated with some health conditions
maintain a healthy lifestyle including exercise, sleep and nutrition
3. The capability to live in physical security
including, for example, being able to:be free from violence including
sexual and domestic violence and violence based on who you are
be free from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
be protected from physical or sexual abuse
go out and use public spaces safely and securely without fear
4. The capability of knowing you will be protected and treated fairly by the law
including, for example, being able to:know you will be treated with
equality and non-discrimination before the law
have the right to a fair trial have access to affordable and high-
quality information and advocacy as necessary
own property and financial products including insurance, social security, and pensions in your own right
5. The capability to be knowledgeable, to understand and reason, and to have the skills to participate in society including, for example, being able to: attain the highest possible standard of knowledge,
understanding and reasoning be fulfilled and stimulated intellectually develop the skills for participation in productive
and valued activities, including parenting learn about a range of cultures and beliefs and
acquire the skills to participate in a diverse society access education, training and lifelong learning
that meets individual needs access information and technology necessary to
participate in society
6. The capability to enjoy a comfortable standard of living, with independence and security
including, for example, being able to: enjoy an adequate and secure standard of living
(e.g. nutrition, clothing, housing, social security, social services and utilities), and being cared for and supported when necessary
get around inside and outside the home, and to access transport and public places
live with independence, dignity and self-respect have choice and control over where and how you
live have control over personal spending share in the benefits of scientific progress including
medical advances and information and technology
7. The capability to engage in productive and valued activities
including, for example, being able to: have a decent paid job, with support where
necessary care for others, including children and parents do something useful and have the value of
your work recognised even if unpaid have rest and leisure not be forced to work in a particular
occupation or without pay not be prevented from working in a particular
occupation without good reason
8. The capability to enjoy individual, family and social life
including, for example, being able to: develop as a person, including self-identity formulate and pursue goals and objectives for yourself develop and maintain self-respect, self-esteem and
self-confidence have a private life and some personal space, including
protection of personal data know that someone will look out for you form intimate relationships, friendships and a family,
and be confident that your primary relationships will be treated with dignity and respect
enjoy special support during pregnancy, maternity, paternity and adoption
9. The capability of being and expressing yourself, and having self-respect including, for example, being able to: have freedom of conscience, belief and religion have freedom of cultural identity and expression
of gender communicate, including using information and
communication technologies, and use your own language
engage in cultural practices, in community with other members of your chosen group or groups
have self-respect live without fear of humiliation, harassment, or
abuse based on who you are
10. The capability to participate in decision-making, have a voice and influence
including, for example, being able to:participate in decision-making and
make decisions affecting your own life independently
participate in democratic free and fair elections
participate in the local community form and join civil organisations and
solidarity groups, including trade unions