States of Dis/Ability - Looking at the Past to Imagine a New Future of Dis/Ability.

Disabled people are among some of the most vulnerable populations globally. Through history, the embodied ‘state of being disabled’ has hinged around the ‘State’ as the primary driver by which the concept of disability is reproduced. In Aotearoa New Zealand, narratives about what disablement means have typically been constructed through legislative ‘state-ments’ (government acts, policies etc.) that define disabled bodies and mediate how dis/ability is understood.

As a result, ableist attitudes – largely unseen – permeate most spheres of everyday life and often remain potent regardless of rhetoric espousing empowerment and inclusion. This presentation explores the historical origins and impacts of disability legislation in Aotearoa New Zealand and implications for community and citizenship in terms of international human rights frameworks, legal protections, and inclusive legislation.

I also address what a new sociology of disability could look like in terms of both resistance to the past and a reclaiming of disabled identities. Finally, I propose that the sociologies of the future shift the onus for change from within the disabled community and employ methodologies designed explicitly to encourage reflection and conscientization among non-disabled individuals who might otherwise be reluctant to change their ableist attitudes.