perspectives on representations of the disabled

Question 1

pluralist

Answer 1

• reflect the dominant medical view that disability is dysfunctional
• media representations mirror social anxieties about impairment - individuals experience it as a problematic state
• also reflect society’s admiration of the courage shown
• representations portray the reality of everyday situations for the disabled and their carers

Question 2

interactionists

Answer 2

study social reactions to people with impairments - disability is socially constructed - mass media significant role

medical professionals set the agenda for media portrayal of disability - view them as unhealthy, unfortunate and tragic - dominates journalists’ perspective

media rep - reflect prejudice from able-bodies people - fear in the disabled

disabled rarely consulted by journalists because they agree with the media view that disabled people are incapable of living a normal life

Question 3

postmodernists

Answer 3

dominant medial discord - garmenting in the 21st C - disabled politically organise themselves - find their voice - construct identities - medical meta-narrative in decline