Becoming dishuman: thinking about the human through dis/ability

Abstract

In this paper, we seek to develop an understanding of the human driven by a commitment to the politics of disability, especially those of people with intellectual disabilities. Our position as family members and allies to people associated with this phenomenon of intellectual disability influences our philosophical conceptions and political responses. This has led us recently to develop a theory of dis/human studies which, we contend, simultaneously acknowledges the possibilities offered by disability to trouble, reshape and re-fashion the human (crip ambitions) while at the same time asserting disabled people's humanity (normative desires). We sketch out four dis/human considerations: (1) dis/autonomy, voice and evacuating the human individual; (2) dis/independence, assemblage and collective humanness; (3) dis/ability politics, self-advocacy and repositioning the human; and (4) dis/family: desiring the normal, embracing the non-normative. We argue that this feeds into the wider project of dis/ability studies, and we conclude that we desire a time when we view life through the prism of the dishuman (note, without the slash).

Keywords:

• disability
• humanism
• human
• civil society
• dishuman
• inclusive education

Notes

1. We use the term intellectual disabilities to recognise that this is a common term applied across the globe. Other labels would include learning disabilities and developmental disability. This term is often used in psychological and medical contexts to refer to someone with cognitive impairments. Traditionally, horrendous nomenclature has included mental handicap, mental retardation and educational subnormality. We acknowledge, of course, that many people so-labelled prefer no labels whatsoever.

2. For details see: Department of Health (2013), Transforming care: A national response to Winterbourne View hospital. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/winterbourne-view-hospital-department-of-health-review-and-response

3. See this site for a really helpful overview of this philosophical position: http://www.txstate.edu/philosophy/resources/fallacy-definitions/Equivocation.html

4. Economic and Social Research Council (ES/K004883/1).

5. Shared Lives is a little-known alternative to home care and care homes for disabled adults and older people. It is used by around 15,000 people in the UK and is available in nearly every area. A Shared Lives carer and someone who needs support get to know each other and if they both feel that they will be able to form a long-term bond, they share family and community life. See more at: http://www.sharedlivesplus.org.uk/what-is-shared-lives/shared-lives#sthash.PiGQBD2Q.dpuf