Construction of intellectual disability: (de)construction of the social role of intellectually disabled persons

Abstract

The article describes the construction of the meaning of intellectual disability in a postmodernist society. It describes the means by which the socio-cultural conditions of postmodern Poland ascribe the position of the intellectually disabled in society, and how the realization of social support may legitimize the meaning of the intellectually disabled. Two questions were considered deeply: is this situation truly inevitable? And, is it possible for people described as intellectually disabled to play a valuable social role? In this research, I point out the usefulness of one of the proposed theories regarding the inclusion of the intellectually disabled into normal social life; the Wolfensberg's Social Role Valorization (SRV) theory. By using the deconstructive ‘recoding’ of this theory, the reader is left to estimate it by him/herself. I attempt to discuss the ‘values’ and ‘truths’ involved in this theory. From the perspective of a Polish researcher, I considered if it is righteous or even possible to ask the intellectually disabled to change themselves in order to meet social standards?

Keywords:

• Intellectual disability
• Social constructivism
• Social Role Valorization theory
• Deconstruction

Notes

1 Act of 27 August 1997 on Vocational and Social Rehabilitation and Employment of Disabled Persons (as published at Dz. U. 2011 No. 127 entry 721, as amended). The last amendments are included in the Act of 28 June 2012 on The Amendment to the Act on Vocational and Social Rehabilitation and Employment of Disabled Persons (Dz.U. 2012 entry 986) and certain other acts.

2 Ordinance of the Minister of Economy, Labour and Social Policy of 15 July 2003 on the Certification of Disability and the Degrees of Disability (Dz. U. dated 8 August 2003) Dz.U.03.139.1328, and further regulations introducing amendments: Ordinance of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of 23 December 2009 amending Ordinance on the Certification of Disability and the Degrees of Disability (Dz. U. dated 30 December 2009) Dz.U.09.224.1803. Ordinance of Minister of Labour and Social Policy of 1 February 2002 on the Criteria of Assessing Disability in Persons under 16 Years Old (Dz. U. dated 1 March 2002) Dz.U.02.17.162. Further regulations introducing amendments, that is, Ordinance of Minister of Labour and Social Policy of 22 December 2009 amending Ordinance on the Criteria of Assessing Disability in Persons under 16 Years Old (Dz. U. dated 31 December 2009) Dz.U.09.226.1829.