Dan Goodley's "Disability Studies An Interdisciplinary Introduction" (Book Note)

 

Lennard Davis identifies a significant evolution within disability studies, marking the advent of a second wave that delves deeper into core questions while also asserting new insights into the field's fundamental truths. This wave mirrors a similar progression within the disability rights movement, identified by Paul Longmore as a shift from a focus on rights and access to broader concerns surrounding culture and community. In "Disability Studies: An Interdisciplinary Introduction," Dan Goodley navigates this transition, bridging foundational concepts with contemporary inquiries that shape the interdisciplinary approach to disability studies.

 

Despite its title, "Disability Studies" serves as both an introduction and an expansion of critical concepts, methodologies, and approaches within the discipline. The initial chapters (1-3) lay the groundwork by exploring definitions of disability, including various models, and unpacking debates within the field. Additionally, Goodley illuminates intersections between disability and other axes of identity, such as race, class, gender, and sex. Chapters 4-9 delve into core thematic areas of disability studies, examining society's role, individual experiences, psychological dimensions, discursive formations, cultural representations, and educational paradigms. Each chapter offers a nuanced analysis that enriches our understanding of disability's multifaceted nature.

 

Chapter 10 marks a pivotal shift towards Critical Disability Studies, pushing the boundaries of analysis into new territories. Here, Goodley propels discussions beyond traditional frameworks, exploring emergent themes and pressing issues within the field. While seasoned scholars may find early chapters to be a review of familiar terrain, they nonetheless serve as valuable refreshers for newcomers to the field. Moreover, the later chapters present innovative perspectives and insights that resonate with scholars at all levels of expertise, offering fresh perspectives and avenues for exploration.

Goodley adopts a distinctly global perspective in "Disability Studies: An Interdisciplinary Introduction," setting the stage for a nuanced exploration of disability issues while acknowledging his English base. This global positioning is particularly evident in his attention to Nordic "relational" approaches to disability, which emphasize the positive impact of services and professionals on the lives of disabled individuals. This perspective offers valuable insights often overlooked in North American disability discourse. Furthermore, Goodley's transdisciplinary approach underscores the interconnectedness of disability with various disciplines, spanning sociology, critical psychology, cultural studies, psychoanalysis, and education.

 

Throughout the text, Goodley employs various methods to foster reader engagement and interaction. "Thinking points" interspersed within each chapter serve as prompts for critical reflection, encouraging readers to contemplate important questions, explore practical applications, and draw connections to related issues. While these interruptions may disrupt the flow of reading, they enrich the text by inviting active engagement with the material. Moreover, Goodley's incorporation of web-based search suggestions encourages readers to venture beyond the text and explore real-world applications through technology, enhancing the reading experience and facilitating deeper understanding.

 

Tables are another effective tool utilized by Goodley to summarize key concepts and organize complex information for readers. These tables serve as valuable visual aids, offering clear delineations of important issues and facilitating comprehension. However, in instances where tables contrast approaches to disability as minority politics versus disability as social barriers, readers may benefit from further exploration of connections and overlaps between these models, enhancing their understanding of the broader landscape of disability discourse.

Chapters 4-9 delve into what Goodley terms "core analyses" of disability studies, focusing on the interplay of psyche, culture, and society. Goodley defines the "psyche" as the intricate entanglement of individuals within the social fabric, underscoring the inseparable connection between the self and the broader societal context. This framework provides a cohesive structure for the diverse range of topics covered in these chapters, each of which explores sociology, psychology, critical psychology, poststructuralism, psychoanalysis, and education in turn.

 

Of particular significance within these middle chapters is the exploration of psychology and its implications for the psychologization of disabled individuals—an area that Goodley argues has been underexplored and under-theorized in disability studies. While acknowledging the need for skepticism when approaching psychoanalytic perspectives, Goodley ventures into Lacanian possibilities within disability studies. He acknowledges the speculative and underdeveloped nature of these inquiries but suggests their potential in making sense of organizational prejudice and discrimination against disabled individuals. However, the text could benefit from more specific examples or applications to ground these discussions and provide practical insights into the intersection of psychologization and psychoanalysis with disability studies.

 

In the final two chapters, Goodley ventures into new territory at the intersection of disability studies and its transdisciplinary connections. By exploring an inclusive approach to disability in education, he highlights the convergence of disability studies and social justice, particularly within the realm of inclusive education. Critiquing neoliberal educational approaches and their detrimental effects on students with disabilities, Goodley proposes insights from critical pedagogy studies as a potential remedy. Drawing on Paulo Freire's concept of conscientization, he envisions a critical pedagogy of liberation that advocates for changes in school culture, broadening of curricula, and revision of the student-teacher partnership.

 

Goodley's final chapter in "Disability Studies: An Interdisciplinary Introduction" delves into critical disability studies, weaving together key themes explored throughout the book while envisioning avenues for future inquiry. Central to his analysis is the application of Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri's concept of Empire to disability contexts. Goodley elucidates Empire's promotion of a specific psychology and self-image—one characterized by traits like health, rationality, autonomy, and economic viability. Yet, for those who don't conform, Empire offers solutions aimed at "fixing" them. Understanding how Empire shapes perceptions of disability is crucial for resistance, according to Goodley.

 

Moreover, Goodley identifies potential sites of resistance in posthuman figures like cyborgs and hybrids. While these concepts have been explored within feminist studies, their application within disability studies remains largely untapped. Despite the historical trend of disability technology focusing on normalization and cure, Goodley advocates for exploring how technology can be harnessed to empower individuals with disabilities and facilitate resistance against oppressive systems. Through this exploration, Goodley prompts readers to reconsider the relationship between technology and disability, envisioning new possibilities for empowerment and liberation.