Rehabilitation for disabled people: A ‘sick’ joke?

Colin Barnes

doi:10.1080/15017410309512609

Original Articles

Rehabilitation for disabled people: A ‘sick’ joke?

Author:

Colin Barnes

Department of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Leeds

X close

Abstract

This paper argues that the relationship between disability and rehabilitation is best explained in terms of three distinct but related definitions of disability. The first is the orthodox ‘individualistic’ medical definition; the second, is the more liberal ‘inter‐relational’ account and; the third, is the ‘radical’ socio/political interpretation commonly referred to as the ‘social model of disability’. By adopting the latter it is suggested that ‘rehabilitation’ for people with ascribed impairments and labelled ‘disabled’ is extremely limited in what it can achieve, due to the ongoing cultural bias against this increasingly large section of the population, and the effective de‐politicisation of disability and related issues by politicians, policy makers and academics.

How to Cite: Barnes, C., 2003. Rehabilitation for disabled people: A ‘sick’ joke?. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 5(1), pp.7–23. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/15017410309512609

Published on 01 Jul 2003

Peer Reviewed

CC BY 4.0

References

Abberley , P. (1987). . “The Concept of Oppression and the Development of a Social Theory of Disability, reproduced. ”. In Disability Studies: Past Present and Future. , Edited by: Barton , L. and Oliverm , M. [city: Leeds]: : The Disability Press. . 1997: (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).
Albrecht , G. L. (1992). . The Disability Business. , [city: London]: : Sage. .
Barnes , C. (1991). . Disabled People in Britain and Discrimination. , [city: London]: : Hurst and Co., in association with the British Council of Organisations of Disabled People. .
Barnes , C. (1992). . Disabling Imagery: An Exploration of Media Portrayals of Disabled People. , [city: Derby]: : The British Council of Organizations of Disabled People. . (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/ disability‐studies/archiveuk/ index.).
Barnes , C. (1997). . “A legacy of oppression: a history of disability in Western culture. ”. In Disability Studies: Past, Present and Future. , Edited by: Barton , L. and Oliver , M. : 3.–. [city: Leeds]: : The Disability Press. . (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).
Barnes , C. and Mercer , G. (2003). . Disability. , [city: Cambridge]: : Polity. .
Barnes , C. , Oliver , M. and Barton , L. (2002). , eds. . Disability Studies Today. , [city: Cambridge]: : Polity. .
Baylies , C. (2002). . ‘Disability and the Notion of Human Development: questions of rights and responsibilities’. . Disability and Society , 17((7)): : 725.–.
Berthoud , R. (1998). . Benefits: a review of the issues and options for reform. , [city: York]: : York Publishing Services. .
Burleigh , M. (1994). . Death and Deliverance Euthanasia in Germany 1900–1945. , [city: Cambridge]: : Cambridge University Press. .
Burchardt , T. (2000). . Enduring Economic Exclusion: Disabled People, Income and Work. , [city: York]: : Joseph Rowntree Foundation. .
Bury , M. (2000). . ‘A Comment on the ICIDH2’. . Disability and Society , 15((7)): : 1073.–.
Campbell , J. and Oliver , M. (1996). . Disability Politics: Understanding our Past, Changing our Future. , [city: London]: : Routledge. .
Charlton , J. I. (1998). . Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability Oppression and Empowerment. , [city: Berkeley]: : University of California Press. .
Christie , I. and Mensah‐Coker , G. (1999). . An Inclusive Future? Disability, social change and opportunities for greater inclusion by 2010. , [city: London]: : Demos. .
Corbett , J. (1998). . Special Educational Needs in the Twentieth Century: a cultural analysis. , [city: London]: : Cassell. .
Corker , M. (1998). . Deaf and Disabled: or Deafness Disabled?. , [city: Milton Keynes]: : Open University Press. .
Coleridge , P. (1993). . Disability, Liberation and Development. , [city: Oxford]: : Oxfam Publications. .
DfEE (1998). . . Excellence for all Children: Meeting Special Educational Needs. , [city: London]: : Department of Education and Employment. .
Disability Tribune (2000). . August 2000. Lives Not Worth Living. , August 2000, : 1.–. [city: London]: : Disability Awareness in Action. .
Driedger , D. (1989). . The Last Civil Rights Movement. Disabled People's International. , [city: London]: : Hurst and Company. .
Finkelstein , V. (1986). . Supporting the Cultural Expression of Disabled People Through the Arts, (Also available on www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐tudies/archiveuk/index...
Finkelstein , V. (1991). . Disability: An Administrative Challenge, www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐tudies/archiveuk/index.
Finkelstein , V. (). The Biodynamics of Disablement. . Paper presented at the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Worskhop. . 29, , [city: Harare], Zimbabwe. (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).
Germon , P. (1998). . “‘Activists and Academics: part of the same or a world apart’. ”. In The Disability Reader: social science perspectives. , Edited by: Shakespeare , T. : 245.–. [city: London]: : Cassell. .
Gleeson , B. (1999). . Geographies of Disability. , [city: London]: : Routledge. .
Gordon , B. O. and Rosenblum , K. E. (2001). . ‘Bringing Disability into the Sociological Frame. . Disability and Society , 16((1)): : 6.–.
Hanks , J. and Hanks , L. (1948). . The physically handicapped in certain non‐Occidental societies. . Journal of Social Issues , 4((4)): : 11.–.
Hevey , D. (1992). . The Creatures that Time Forgot: Photography and Disability Imagery. , [city: London]: : Routledge. .
Hunt , P. (1966). , ed. . Stigma: The Experience of Disability. , [city: London]: : Geoffrey Chapman. .
Hunt , P. (1981). . ‘Settling Accounts with the Parasite People’. . Disability Challenge , 2: : 37.–. Available on the Disability Archive UK www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index..
Hurst , R. (2000). . To revise or not to revise. . Disability and Society , 15((7)): : 1083.–.
IDF (1998). . . World Disability Report. , [city: Geneva]: : International Disability Forum. .
Illich , I. (1977). . “Disabling professions. ”. In Disabling Professions. , Edited by: Illich , I. : 11.–. [city: London]: : Marion Boyars. .
Ingstad , B. (2001). . “Disability in the Developing World. ”. In Handbook of Disability Studies. , Edited by: Albrecht , G. L. , Seelman , K.D. and Bury , M. : 772.–. [city: London]: : Sage. .
Ingstad , B. and Whyte , S.R. (1995). , eds. . Disability and Culture. , [city: Berkeley]: : University of California Press. .
LaPlante , M. P. , Kennedy , J. , Kaye , H. S. and Wenger , B. L. (1996). January 1996. Disability and Employment. , January 1996, University of California: Disability Statistics Centre. . Abstract 11, http://dsc.uesf.edu./abs/ab11txt.htm.
Lees , S. (1992). , ed. . Disability Arts and Culture Papers. , [city: London]: : Shape Publications. . (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).
Linton , S. (1998). . Claiming Disability: knowledge and identity. , [city: New York]: : New York University Press. .
Morris , J. (1993). . Independent Lives. , [city: Basingstoke]: : Macmillan. .
Morris , J. (1997). . Gone Missing. , [city: York]: : The Joseph Rowntree Foundation. .
Miles , M. (2001). . ‘ICIDH, Meets Postmodernity, or “incredulity towards meta‐terminology”. . Disability World , 7March‐April 2001 Available at: http://www.disabilityworld.org/03‐ 04_01/resources/icidh.shtml (Accessed 24 February 2003).
NIDDR (2000). . . Long Range Plan. , [city: Washington DC]: : Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. .
Oliver , M. (1983). . Social Work with Disabled People. , [city: Basingstoke]: : Macmillan. .
Oliver , M. (1990). . The Politics of Disablement. , [city: Basingstoke]: : Macmillan. .
Parker , G. (1993). . With this Body. , [city: Buckingham]: : Open University Press. .
Parsons , T. (1951). . The Social System. , [city: New York]: : The Free Press. .
Pfeiffer , D. (2000). . ‘The Devils are in the Detail’ the ICIDH2 and the Disability Movement’. . Disability and Society , 15((7)): : 1079.–.
Read , J. (2000). . Disability, the Family and Society: listening the mothers. , [city: Buckingham]: : The Open University Press. .
Rogers , L. (1999). . ‘Disabled children will be a “sin”;, says scientist’. . Sunday Times, , July 4th 1999: : 28.
Sandvin , J. (2002). . ‘Rehabilitation: A Norwegian expert asks if it's still a useful concept’. . Disability World, , 15 September/October 2002 unpaged (Available on http://www.disabilityworld.org/09‐ 10_02/il/useful.shtml.
Sayce , M. (2000). . From Psychiatric Patient to Citizen. , [city: Tavistock]: : Macmillan. .
Scheer , J. and Groce , N. (1988). . Impairment as a Human Constant: Cross‐Cultural and Historical Perspectives on Variation. . Journal of Social Issues. , 44((1)): : 23.–.
Scotch , R. (1988). . Disability as the Basis for a Social Movement: Advocacy and the Politics of Definition. . Journal of Social Issues , 44((1)): : 159.–.
Shakespeare , T. (1994). . Cultural representation of disabled people: dustbins for disavowal?. . Disability and Society , 9((3)): : 283.–.
Shakespeare , T. and Watson , N. (2002). . ‘The Social Model for Disability: an Outdated Ideology’. . Research in Social Science and Disability , 2: : 9.–. (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).
Stiker , H‐J. (1999). . A History of Disability. , Edited by: Sayers , W. [city: Ann Arbor]: : University of Michigan Press. .
Stone , D. (1985). . The Disabled State. , [city: Basingstoke]: : Macmillan. .
Stone , E. (1999). . “Disability and development in the majority world. ”. In Disability and Development. , Edited by: Stone , E. : 1.–. [city: Leeds]: : The Disability Press. .
Sutherland , A. T. (1981). . Disabled We Stand. , [city: London]: : Souvenir Press. . (Also available on www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).
Thomas , C. (1999). . Female Forms: Experiencing and Understanding Disability. , [city: Milton Keynes]: : Open University Press. .
Thornton , P. , Sainsbury , R. and Barnes , H. (1997). . Helping Disabled People in Work: a cross national study of social security and employment provision. , [city: London]: : The Stationary Office. .
UN (1993). . . Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. , [city: New York]: : United Nations. .
UPIAS (1976). . . Fundamental Principles of Disability. , [city: London]: : Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation. . (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).
Ustum , T. B. (2001). . Disability and Culture: Universalism and Diversity. , [city: Seattle]: : World Health Organisation in a association with Hogrefe and Huber Publishers. .
WHO (1980). . . International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps. , [city: Geneva]: : World Health Organization. .
WHO (2001). . . International Classification of Functioning and Disability, Beta‐2 draft. Short Version. , [city: Geneva]: : World Health Organization. . http://www3.who.int/icf/icftemplate.cfm?myurl=inytroduction.html (Accessed 24 February 2003).
WHO (2001). . . Rethinking Care from Disabled People's Perspectives. , [city: Geneva]: : World Health Organization. . (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).
Zola , I. K. (1982). . Missing Pieces, A Chronicle of Living with a Disability. , [city: Philadelphia]: : Temple University Press. .

[CIT0001] Abberley , P. (1987). . “The Concept of Oppression and the Development of a Social Theory of Disability, reproduced. ”. In Disability Studies: Past Present and Future. , Edited by: Barton , L. and Oliverm , M. [city: Leeds]: : The Disability Press. . 1997: (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).

[CIT0002] Albrecht , G. L. (1992). . The Disability Business. , [city: London]: : Sage. .

[CIT0003] Barnes , C. (1991). . Disabled People in Britain and Discrimination. , [city: London]: : Hurst and Co., in association with the British Council of Organisations of Disabled People. .

[CIT0004] Barnes , C. (1992). . Disabling Imagery: An Exploration of Media Portrayals of Disabled People. , [city: Derby]: : The British Council of Organizations of Disabled People. . (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/ disability‐studies/archiveuk/ index.).

[CIT0005] Barnes , C. (1997). . “A legacy of oppression: a history of disability in Western culture. ”. In Disability Studies: Past, Present and Future. , Edited by: Barton , L. and Oliver , M. : 3.–. [city: Leeds]: : The Disability Press. . (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).

[CIT0006] Barnes , C. and Mercer , G. (2003). . Disability. , [city: Cambridge]: : Polity. .

[CIT0007] Barnes , C. , Oliver , M. and Barton , L. (2002). , eds. . Disability Studies Today. , [city: Cambridge]: : Polity. .

[CIT0008] Baylies , C. (2002). . ‘Disability and the Notion of Human Development: questions of rights and responsibilities’. . Disability and Society , 17((7)): : 725.–.

[CIT0009] Berthoud , R. (1998). . Benefits: a review of the issues and options for reform. , [city: York]: : York Publishing Services. .

[CIT0010] Burleigh , M. (1994). . Death and Deliverance Euthanasia in Germany 1900–1945. , [city: Cambridge]: : Cambridge University Press. .

[CIT0011] Burchardt , T. (2000). . Enduring Economic Exclusion: Disabled People, Income and Work. , [city: York]: : Joseph Rowntree Foundation. .

[CIT0012] Bury , M. (2000). . ‘A Comment on the ICIDH2’. . Disability and Society , 15((7)): : 1073.–.

[CIT0013] Campbell , J. and Oliver , M. (1996). . Disability Politics: Understanding our Past, Changing our Future. , [city: London]: : Routledge. .

[CIT0014] Charlton , J. I. (1998). . Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability Oppression and Empowerment. , [city: Berkeley]: : University of California Press. .

[CIT0015] Christie , I. and Mensah‐Coker , G. (1999). . An Inclusive Future? Disability, social change and opportunities for greater inclusion by 2010. , [city: London]: : Demos. .

[CIT0016] Corbett , J. (1998). . Special Educational Needs in the Twentieth Century: a cultural analysis. , [city: London]: : Cassell. .

[CIT0017] Corker , M. (1998). . Deaf and Disabled: or Deafness Disabled?. , [city: Milton Keynes]: : Open University Press. .

[CIT0018] Coleridge , P. (1993). . Disability, Liberation and Development. , [city: Oxford]: : Oxfam Publications. .

[CIT0019] DfEE (1998). . . Excellence for all Children: Meeting Special Educational Needs. , [city: London]: : Department of Education and Employment. .

[CIT0020] Disability Tribune (2000). . August 2000. Lives Not Worth Living. , August 2000, : 1.–. [city: London]: : Disability Awareness in Action. .

[CIT0021] Driedger , D. (1989). . The Last Civil Rights Movement. Disabled People's International. , [city: London]: : Hurst and Company. .

[CIT0022] Finkelstein , V. (1986). . Supporting the Cultural Expression of Disabled People Through the Arts, (Also available on www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐tudies/archiveuk/index...

[CIT0023] Finkelstein , V. (1991). . Disability: An Administrative Challenge, www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐tudies/archiveuk/index.

[CIT0024] Finkelstein , V. (). The Biodynamics of Disablement. . Paper presented at the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Worskhop. . 29, , [city: Harare], Zimbabwe. (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).

[CIT0025] Germon , P. (1998). . “‘Activists and Academics: part of the same or a world apart’. ”. In The Disability Reader: social science perspectives. , Edited by: Shakespeare , T. : 245.–. [city: London]: : Cassell. .

[CIT0026] Gleeson , B. (1999). . Geographies of Disability. , [city: London]: : Routledge. .

[CIT0027] Gordon , B. O. and Rosenblum , K. E. (2001). . ‘Bringing Disability into the Sociological Frame. . Disability and Society , 16((1)): : 6.–.

[CIT0028] Hanks , J. and Hanks , L. (1948). . The physically handicapped in certain non‐Occidental societies. . Journal of Social Issues , 4((4)): : 11.–.

[CIT0029] Hevey , D. (1992). . The Creatures that Time Forgot: Photography and Disability Imagery. , [city: London]: : Routledge. .

[CIT0030] Hunt , P. (1966). , ed. . Stigma: The Experience of Disability. , [city: London]: : Geoffrey Chapman. .

[CIT0031] Hunt , P. (1981). . ‘Settling Accounts with the Parasite People’. . Disability Challenge , 2: : 37.–. Available on the Disability Archive UK www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index..

[CIT0032] Hurst , R. (2000). . To revise or not to revise. . Disability and Society , 15((7)): : 1083.–.

[CIT0033] IDF (1998). . . World Disability Report. , [city: Geneva]: : International Disability Forum. .

[CIT0034] Illich , I. (1977). . “Disabling professions. ”. In Disabling Professions. , Edited by: Illich , I. : 11.–. [city: London]: : Marion Boyars. .

[CIT0035] Ingstad , B. (2001). . “Disability in the Developing World. ”. In Handbook of Disability Studies. , Edited by: Albrecht , G. L. , Seelman , K.D. and Bury , M. : 772.–. [city: London]: : Sage. .

[CIT0036] Ingstad , B. and Whyte , S.R. (1995). , eds. . Disability and Culture. , [city: Berkeley]: : University of California Press. .

[CIT0037] LaPlante , M. P. , Kennedy , J. , Kaye , H. S. and Wenger , B. L. (1996). January 1996. Disability and Employment. , January 1996, University of California: Disability Statistics Centre. . Abstract 11, http://dsc.uesf.edu./abs/ab11txt.htm.

[CIT0038] Lees , S. (1992). , ed. . Disability Arts and Culture Papers. , [city: London]: : Shape Publications. . (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).

[CIT0039] Linton , S. (1998). . Claiming Disability: knowledge and identity. , [city: New York]: : New York University Press. .

[CIT0040] Morris , J. (1993). . Independent Lives. , [city: Basingstoke]: : Macmillan. .

[CIT0041] Morris , J. (1997). . Gone Missing. , [city: York]: : The Joseph Rowntree Foundation. .

[CIT0042] Miles , M. (2001). . ‘ICIDH, Meets Postmodernity, or “incredulity towards meta‐terminology”. . Disability World , 7March‐April 2001 Available at: http://www.disabilityworld.org/03‐ 04_01/resources/icidh.shtml (Accessed 24 February 2003).

[CIT0043] NIDDR (2000). . . Long Range Plan. , [city: Washington DC]: : Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. .

[CIT0044] Oliver , M. (1983). . Social Work with Disabled People. , [city: Basingstoke]: : Macmillan. .

[CIT0045] Oliver , M. (1990). . The Politics of Disablement. , [city: Basingstoke]: : Macmillan. .

[CIT0046] Parker , G. (1993). . With this Body. , [city: Buckingham]: : Open University Press. .

[CIT0047] Parsons , T. (1951). . The Social System. , [city: New York]: : The Free Press. .

[CIT0048] Pfeiffer , D. (2000). . ‘The Devils are in the Detail’ the ICIDH2 and the Disability Movement’. . Disability and Society , 15((7)): : 1079.–.

[CIT0049] Read , J. (2000). . Disability, the Family and Society: listening the mothers. , [city: Buckingham]: : The Open University Press. .

[CIT0050] Rogers , L. (1999). . ‘Disabled children will be a “sin”;, says scientist’. . Sunday Times, , July 4th 1999: : 28.

[CIT0051] Sandvin , J. (2002). . ‘Rehabilitation: A Norwegian expert asks if it's still a useful concept’. . Disability World, , 15 September/October 2002 unpaged (Available on http://www.disabilityworld.org/09‐ 10_02/il/useful.shtml.

[CIT0052] Sayce , M. (2000). . From Psychiatric Patient to Citizen. , [city: Tavistock]: : Macmillan. .

[CIT0053] Scheer , J. and Groce , N. (1988). . Impairment as a Human Constant: Cross‐Cultural and Historical Perspectives on Variation. . Journal of Social Issues. , 44((1)): : 23.–.

[CIT0054] Scotch , R. (1988). . Disability as the Basis for a Social Movement: Advocacy and the Politics of Definition. . Journal of Social Issues , 44((1)): : 159.–.

[CIT0055] Shakespeare , T. (1994). . Cultural representation of disabled people: dustbins for disavowal?. . Disability and Society , 9((3)): : 283.–.

[CIT0056] Shakespeare , T. and Watson , N. (2002). . ‘The Social Model for Disability: an Outdated Ideology’. . Research in Social Science and Disability , 2: : 9.–. (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).

[CIT0057] Stiker , H‐J. (1999). . A History of Disability. , Edited by: Sayers , W. [city: Ann Arbor]: : University of Michigan Press. .

[CIT0058] Stone , D. (1985). . The Disabled State. , [city: Basingstoke]: : Macmillan. .

[CIT0059] Stone , E. (1999). . “Disability and development in the majority world. ”. In Disability and Development. , Edited by: Stone , E. : 1.–. [city: Leeds]: : The Disability Press. .

[CIT0060] Sutherland , A. T. (1981). . Disabled We Stand. , [city: London]: : Souvenir Press. . (Also available on www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).

[CIT0061] Thomas , C. (1999). . Female Forms: Experiencing and Understanding Disability. , [city: Milton Keynes]: : Open University Press. .

[CIT0062] Thornton , P. , Sainsbury , R. and Barnes , H. (1997). . Helping Disabled People in Work: a cross national study of social security and employment provision. , [city: London]: : The Stationary Office. .

[CIT0063] UN (1993). . . Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. , [city: New York]: : United Nations. .

[CIT0064] UPIAS (1976). . . Fundamental Principles of Disability. , [city: London]: : Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation. . (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).

[CIT0065] Ustum , T. B. (2001). . Disability and Culture: Universalism and Diversity. , [city: Seattle]: : World Health Organisation in a association with Hogrefe and Huber Publishers. .

[CIT0066] WHO (1980). . . International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps. , [city: Geneva]: : World Health Organization. .

[CIT0067] WHO (2001). . . International Classification of Functioning and Disability, Beta‐2 draft. Short Version. , [city: Geneva]: : World Health Organization. . http://www3.who.int/icf/icftemplate.cfm?myurl=inytroduction.html (Accessed 24 February 2003).

[CIT0068] WHO (2001). . . Rethinking Care from Disabled People's Perspectives. , [city: Geneva]: : World Health Organization. . (Also available on: www.leeds.ac.uk/disability‐studies/archiveuk/index.).

[CIT0069] Zola , I. K. (1982). . Missing Pieces, A Chronicle of Living with a Disability. , [city: Philadelphia]: : Temple University Press. .

Reading: Rehabilitation for disabled people: A ‘sick’ joke?

Original Articles

Rehabilitation for disabled people: A ‘sick’ joke?

Author:

Colin Barnes

Department of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Leeds

X close

Abstract

References