2015

Portrayal of Disability: Then and Now

Examining the way disability and disabled people have been portrayed in literature, pictures, sculpture, photographs, advertising, journalism, media and film in past periods and now.

UKDHM 2015 Portrayal of Disability

Social attitudes change and are represented in how disabled people are portrayed, but strong stereotypes rooted in past attitudes and cultures persist and are often recycled, reinforcing negative treatment of disabled people. (See Disabling Imagery)

UKDHM supports a ‘social model’ approach to disability and would urge that activities take account of the transformative shift this involves – away from seeing disability as an individual deficit/burden to recognising that social and attitudinal barriers disable the rich diversity of humanity with a wide range of impairments. Examining the past through this lens allows us to gain much greater understanding of the oppressive disablism that unfortunately predominated and still does far too often, in portrayal of disability and disabled people.

For UKDHM 2015 you are invited to organise events, lectures, projects, exhibitions, film shows and curriculum studies that examine portrayal in the past. Do let us know what you are doing and we will publicise on our website. Film your events and send these with pictures and power points and we will put these up on the website.

Resources