This unique book combines an insight into the historical development of employment legislation and disability rights activism before plunging into written narratives of real-life accounts where individuals share their experiences of accessing work or being unemployed in twentieth-century Canada. There are a variety of sources displayed within Working Towards Equity which help readers to situate themselves within the wider social, economic and political context, including photographs, interviews and governmental reports that all make a contribution to exploring the history of disability employment and rights within a Canadian context.
Despite reading this book from a different geographical location, the key thoughts and themes in relation to disability and employment remain the same and there are some broader lessons to be learned from Working Towards Equity that can be translated across the globe. Galer begins to explore the problematic nature of the question that is never far from people’s lips: ‘what do you do?’, meaning to ask what job roles people are situated within. The link between identity and work is made, which is refreshing to read as it is common for work to be classified as intrinsically oppressive. However, the extent to which employment is highlighted as the main source of identity and full citizenship for disabled people within this book could be problematic to some readers.
The key message within this book amongst the pages which historically outline activism and employment in Canada appears to be that we must continue to challenge employment policies and wider society where they are not adequately supporting disabled people. It is recognised that many different voices within disability movements clashed throughout the decades, but through this book Galer advocates that each movement has contributed towards a wider effort to promote opportunities and disabled rights. In particular, the argument is made that the fight for disabled people to be economically integrated has contributed towards breaking down physical and social barriers. Furthermore, it is recognised that the fight which disabled activists throughout the decades have contributed to must be carried forward in order to be able to continue ‘working towards equity’ as, despite notable changes, wider progress and equity have not been achieved. Working Towards Equity concludes by suggesting that, 40 years on, we must continue to look back at the history of disability activism to learn from some of the lessons presented. This is an important message; the fight has been progressing, but it must continue as poverty and unemployment continue to be contemporary issues.
This book paves the way for future work which could look at the impact of technological innovation within the workplace and how this may be changing the nature of work roles and employment alongside the changing nature of policy, legislation and disability activism. The book is an invaluable contribution, not just now as a written timeline of activism but in years to come as, when Galer encourages, people look back to see how disabled people fought for rights and to monitor developments that may threaten rights that have been secured over the years.
With its focus on disability activism, the development of legislation and the role of the state in supporting or further disabling disabled people in their search for work, Working Towards Equity is an accessible read for policy-makers, historians and any person interested in disabled rights, identity and activism.
Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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