Theory, practice, and perspectives: Disability Studies and parenting children with disabilities

Abstract

In this process-oriented article, the authors weave short personal narratives with theoretical reflections to examine the relationship between Disability Studies scholarship and parenting children with disabilities. The authors present three findings: first, their position as parent-teacher-scholars informs their work in Disability Studies. Second, the work of Disability Studies scholars has the potential to positively influence parents’ understandings of disability; consequently, Disability Studies-informed parenting can influence parent advocacy for their children. Third, parent-scholars have the potential to create research that can positively impact parents, practitioners, and the field of Disability Studies. The authors conclude by arguing that there is a need for Disability Studies scholarship for and by parents. This work is significant because it challenges divisions between theory and practice, and articulates a need and responsibility for parents to grapple with alternative understandings of disability and alternative (collective) ways to create better social conditions for their children.

Keywords:

• Disability studies
• parent scholars
• inclusion
• Disability Studies-informed parenting

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful for the thoughtful comments from the anonymous reviewers from this journal and those who provided comments at the Bergamo Conference on Curriculum Theory and Classroom Practice and the Society for Disability Studies (SDS) Multiple Perspectives Conference. They also appreciate the work of two readers who provided meaningful reviews of the paper we presented at the SDS conference. While writing this article, ideas and readings from Gia’s courses at the University of Illinois at Chicago as well as ideas we learned from parent advocacy networks contributed to our theorizing. Finally, the authors are grateful to their children and families for informing our scholarship and emboldening our desire to produce scholarship that informs practice and creates change.

Declaration of interest statement

The authors reported no potential conflict of interest.