Everyday Mobilities

Question 1

Define the ‘medical’ model of disability.

Answer 1

‘conceptualizes disability as an individual medical or physiological condition, purely related to bodily impairment’ (Pain et al. 2000: 167)

• Disability = functionality (vision, hearing, use of limbs) that some people lack and are therefore not ‘normal’
• Understood in this way – disability & associated negative experiences = property & fault of the individual
• NOT as result of discrimination from others

Question 2

Critiques of ‘medical’ model?

Answer 2

1) Fails ‘to take account of how societal values, attitudes and structures may be conditioning the experiences and opportunities of disabled people (Imrie, 1996; Gleeson, 1996)’
(Pain et al, 2000)
2) Emphasises ‘normality’ of being able-bodied
3) Goal of society = make disabled people ‘normal’
4) Model treats disabled people as a ‘homogeneous’ group – doesn’t take account of diversity

Question 3

Define the ‘social’ model of disability.

Answer 3

NOT about individual disability BUT:
‘societal and/or attitudinal or environmental restrictions placed upon people with physical and/or mental impairments to the point whereby they are ‘disabled’ or prevented from exercising their civil liberties’.
(Imrie, 2000: 179)
- This emphasis on society enables geography to go beyond plotting and measuring where disabled people can or can’t go.
- Disability is different for different people, in different places – changes over time and through space.
e.g. bedroom tax discriminates against disabled people dependent on carers living with them.

Question 4

What is the effect of ableist environments?

Answer 4

Increased dependency on others to facilitate movement (decreasing opportunities for spontaneity).
Segregation of people into spaces they ‘belong’ or feel comfortable in.
Mobility, access and a disabling built environment ‘constitute “a denial of place” to those who, through no fault of their own, are penalized by oppressive socio-institutional structures and practices from exercising choices over how to utilize space’.
(Imrie, 1996: 22)

Yet, we are all interdependent on objects, technologies, infrastructures - even if we are able-bodied.