Disability meta-organizations and policy-making under new forms of governance

Abstract

Disability meta-organizations are playing a significant role in influencing the development of disability policy. An example of this is the Disabled Peoples Organizations – Denmark (DPOD), which has managed to unify the disability movement and place itself in a unique position of power. The strategy of DPOD is based on organizational adaptation fitting into the institutional settings of government and building its influence on dialogue, and the establishment of a relationship of trust with political actors in network-based political settings. The change in governance towards cooperation through formal disability councils at municipal level requires the ability to recruit an increasing number of politically active representatives of disabled people. Tensions based on identity conflicts and different political priorities are revealed between different kinds of member organizations when representatives of DPOD are placed in political settings delegated to speak on behalf of disabled people in general.

Keywords:

• disability meta-organizations
• new forms of governance
• political representation

Notes

1. The dissertation is based on both historical research in Danish disability policy, the history of DPOD and studies of three disability councils in Denmark. The historical research of DPOD is based on archive material from the Association of Physical Disabled [Dansk Handicap Forbund] and the archives of DPOD. The material consists of articles from newsletters and the minutes from the executive committee of DPOD from the period 1952–2004. The material reflects the discussions and interests of the leadership. The dissertation also includes a case study of three disability councils made in 2004. The case studies of The Danish Disability Council, The Disability Council of the Municipality of Århus and The Disability Council of the Municipality of Karlebo, took place in the period August–December 2004 and were based on studies of the minutes from the council meetings, observational studies of pre-meetings of members from the DPOD and the council meetings in the period and interviews with the members of the three disability councils.

2. The research from 2007–09 includes analyses of articles from the newsletter of DPOD 2008–09, and observations made at the 75th anniversary of DPOD on 22 April 2009.

3. The Rare Disorders Denmark is another alliance of 36 rare disease organizations.

4. The Danish population was 5,511,000 in 2009.

5. The Danish Federation of the Deaf is possibly one of the oldest disability organizations in the world.

6. The different quotations presented in this article are translated by the author. The original Danish quotations are to be found in Bonfils (2006).

7. Speech made by the head of the Association of Youth with Disabilities – SUMH, at the 75th anniversary of DPOD on 22 April 2009.