Course Details

One in four individuals is considered disabled. What that means, however, differs from person to person, culture to culture, and environment to environment. Disability can be inborn or acquired, short-term or chronic, intellectual or not, etc. The term is broad in scope and is not subject to precise definition. Disability raises many bioethical issues across the lifespan. This course will examine definitions of disability as well as make distinctions between disability, disorder, disease, disfunction and identity. We will consider disability from the bio-medical model, psycho-social model, public health model and neurodiversity model. The lens through which we will explore disability is that of social justice. Readings, viewings and lectures will present a range of perspectives including historical framing, narrative of the lived experience, legal documents, theoretical and philosophical underpinnings and clinical discourse.

Outcomes: Understand the complexities and variations in defining disability; Analyze disability through multiple models and frameworks; Explore the ethical implications of disability across different contexts; Engage critically with lived experiences and theoretical perspectives on disability; Develop a social justice-oriented approach to disability ethics.