Disability Studies Commons^™

Understanding The Needs Of The Intellectually And Developmentally Disabled And Autistic Population In The Criminal Justice System, Emily Sateary

Master of Arts in Human Services

This paper explores the inequitable treatment of the Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled and Autistic (IDD/A) population in the criminal justice system. Although progress has been made over the past century with understanding the unique needs of this population, they still face challenges at all stages of the criminal justice system. Behavioral, social skills, and sensory challenges make it difficult for the IDD/A population to avoid criminal justice contact and to understand the criminal justice process. Insufficient training for police and attorneys harms both persons with IDD/A and criminal justice professionals. This paper examines current practices in place that are barriers …

Unearthing Silence: Deaf Archaeology As A Pathway To Social Justice And Accessibility, Abigail H. Steiner

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Deaf archaeology is an emerging field exploring the material culture, spaces, and histories of Deaf communities to understand their social lives and identities. This paper examines Deaf archaeology as a framework for uncovering the historical presence of Deaf individuals and promoting social justice. It begins by defining deafness, contrasting medical and cultural perspectives, then traces the field’s roots in sign language evolution, marginalization, and Deaf education. Through a timeline of findings, the study reveals how Deaf individuals have been recognized or overlooked historically. Engaging with the Southern Tier Deaf community, I explore accessible archaeology and the role of Deaf archaeology …

Dispatches From Bed: On The Intersection Of Disability Justice And Palestinian Liberation, I. B. Bedrotting

Toyon: Multilingual Literary Magazine

None.

Protesting In The Streets And In The Tweets: Disability Activism From The 20th Century To The Digital Age, Molly E. Thompson

Publications and Research

This paper seeks to answer the following research question: “How does the modern-day disability rights movement compare to activist efforts in the 20th century?” I begin with an exploration of the discriminatory policies that the 20th century disability rights movement fought against, such as institutionalization, eugenics, and structural accessibility. I then discuss demonstrations such as the 1977 504 Sit-In and the ADA “Capitol Crawl,” paying particular attention to the movement’s popularity across intersections of identity. I then move on to the 21st century, starting with disability activists’ demonstrations against Bush-era policies on mental health and court cases that attempted to …

Enhancing Quality Of Life Through Participant-Led Programming For Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Hannah Bolton

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

There are currently over 6.5 million Americans living with an intellectual disability (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019). Research shows that individuals with intellectual disabilities are more likely to experience a lower quality of life (QOL) compared to those without disabilities (Hughes-McCormack et al., 2017). Eight core domains have been identified as essential to quality of life: emotional well-being, interpersonal relationships, material well-being, personal development, physical well-being, self-determination, social inclusion, and rights (Lachapelle et al., 2005). In response to these needs, this capstone project aimed to implement customized, supported, participant-led programming at a day program for adults with …

Institutionalizing Normality: Disability, Productivity, And Higher Education, Ashley Dirzis

Student Theses

This thesis examines how capitalism and neuronormative domination shape the structures and values of academic institutions, affecting faculty, students, and research subjects alike. By privileging productivity, conformity, and efficiency in the pursuit of income, universities often marginalize those who diverge from normative standards of thinking, behavior, and embodiment, particularly disabled individuals. Drawing on Marta Russell’s Disability and Capitalism and the shaping of disability by capitalist systems, Robert Chapman’s notion of the "Empire of Normality" and Jay Dolmage’s concept of the retrofit from Academic Ableism, this paper analyzes how academia reinforces ableist norms. It explores the realities and barriers that …

Hubungan Dukungan Sosial Rekan Kerja Dengan Stres Kerja (Studi Pada Pekerja Di Pt X), Aisyah Permatasari

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Workers are vulnerable to work-related stress due to job demands, time constraints, and limited leisure time, leading to psychological issues such as anxiety related to their work. In the context of social welfare studies, job stress affects overall workers’ well-being and disrupts their social functioning in the workplace. Social support from coworkers is potentially reduce stress in workplace, which is crucial for creating organizational well-being. It also helps workers improve job engagement, cope with fatigue, and manage stress. This study examined the relationship between social support from coworkers and job stress among 90 employees …

Caring Across Borders: Demographic Shifts And Migrant Care In Asean-Korea Dynamics, Saqib Fardan Ahmada, Wahid Nur Kartiko

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This article aims to examine the migration policies and migrant care in the context of relations between ASEAN Member States (AMS) and Korea. As Korea is dealing with an aging population, an increase in female labour force participation, and an ultra low fertility rate, caregiving, especially for the elderly, has become a pivotal issue. Besides, the traditional nuclear family structure, which has historically served as the primary caregiver for the elderly, is also losing its prominence. In such demographic shift, migrant care workers from AMS are filling the demand for caregiving in Korea, leading to a cross-border international migration from …

How Do School-Level Dynamics Impact Mainstreaming Practices In American Schools?, Natalie M. Watson

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

How do school-level dynamics impact the everyday experiences of students with disabilities, compared to their abled peers? Extant research has mostly focused on the experiences of individual students with disabilities, and their teachers. We know far less about how school-level dynamics shape students’ experiences. Historically, American schools formally separated students with and without disabilities, though the specific mode varied over time -- ranging from explicit institutionalization to segregation in special education programs. At least since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, efforts to educate students with disabilities alongside their abled peers in mainstreamed settings have increased …

Life After, John C. Lyden

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of Life After (2025), directed by Reid Davenport.

Use Of The Slur “Retard” Triples On X After Elon Musk Shares The Word In A Post, Bond Benton, Daniela Peterka-Benton

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

A joint study from Montclair State University faculty in the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication in the School of Communication and Media and the Department of Justice Studies shows that Elon Musk dramatically increased content containing the slur “retard” on X after using the term in a post. Highlights from the study include:

• A 207.5% increase in posts containing the r-word on X.
• 312,642 posts using the term r-word identified in the period studied.
• Google Trends Analysis showed a similar increase in online search activity related to the r-word.
• Indication of a broader …

Whipped Into Shape: Infrastructure As Punishment For The Unruly Citizen, Eliza Mortimer

Anthós

This article interrogates how inflexible designs and policies of airline seating, as well as critical socio-political rhetoric, discipline and marginalize bodies that do not conform to normative standards. Situating airline seating within fat and disability studies models, Mortimer argues that these punitive measures are not neutral, but rather reflective of cultural narratives of productivity, morality, and bodily discipline. Mortimer draws from ethnographic analyses of first-person accounts and policy reviews to demonstrate how shrinking seats, rigid policies, and moralized discourse construct a “space of calculability” that pressures fat individuals to monitor and minimize their bodies to justify their presence in public …

Neuroqueering As Culturally Sustaining Practice, Nathan Hughes, Meaghan Krazinski

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This article explores how neuroqueering can be a complementary component to culturally-sustaining practices (Paris & Alim, 2014), and explores how culturally sustaining frameworks can affirm neurodiversity. Issues such as criminalization of Autistic people of color, and implications of diagnosis disparities and barriers to receiving services are well known (Kearl, 2021). As Gordon (2021) notes, Centering Autistic culture (#BlackAutisticJoy) and ways of being is an important part of affirming Autistic students' identities. Culturally sustaining practices (Paris & Alim, 2014) that seek to provide supportive classroom spaces that affirm students’ culture and identity must also include attention to …

Learning To Be An Autistic Therapist: Personal Steps Towards An Autism-Affirming Psychotherapy, Sasha D. Strong

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

How can Autistic therapists understand and support themselves, and how can this help them support their clients? In this paper, I recount my personal journey of healing and growth as an Autistic psychotherapist, 16 months after self-identification. Here is an overview of conceptual frameworks from #actuallyautistic authors, critical theory, queer theory, and social justice that I have found helpful. I also share some of the therapeutic and wellness approaches that have been important to me, including mindfulness and bodyfulness. Organic knowing has been pivotal for me in discerning between masking and aliveness, and regaining a choice around masking behaviors. This …

Bottom-Up Global Change: Stealth Action In A Decentralized World, Art Blaser, Trinity Huynh

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

The climate justice and disability rights movements reflect a paradigm shift from a top-down approach to policy-making to one that emphasizes local efforts by non-state actors.

The Art Of Inclusion: Theatre’S Contribution To Popular Culture Literacy For Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Catherine R. P. King

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

This essay explores the transformative role of theatre in special education, focusing on its capacity to foster social skills and life navigation abilities in students with disabilities. In light of the fundamental importance of these skills for social inclusion and quality of life, the article highlights the innovative and effective approach to integrating theatre into special education classrooms. It discusses how theatre can empower students with disabilities by enhancing their social interaction, communication, and life navigation skills. In addition, the article delves into the intersection of theatre and popular culture, showcasing how theatre can serve as a valuable tool for …

Accommodating Incompetency In Immigration Court, Elizabeth Jordan

Northwestern University Law Review

In criminal law, an individual must be deemed competent to stand trial, yet our immigration courts routinely order the deportation of incompetent noncitizens. A removal proceeding against a noncitizen—where an outcome of deportation often risks life-threatening harm—continues apace even if the noncitizen has been deemed incompetent by the immigration judge. In place of halting proceedings, the immigration judge imposes “safeguards” pursuant to a provision of the immigration code that neither defines nor explains the term. In practice, judges’ application of the term “safeguards” is often absurd. The implications of continuing a proceeding against a noncitizen with a disability affecting competency …

" A Beautiful Maiden Shot My Heart" By Antar Bin Shadad:, Yasser K. R. Aman

Comparative Woman

This is a translation of an Arabic poem from Pre-Islamic poetry written by Antara Bin Shadad. This poem is an example of appropriation in literary translation. When the meaning is not only cultural but when it is ambience- bound as well, appropriation is difficult but not impossible to achieve. " رمتِ الفؤادَ مليحة عذراءُ" " A Beautiful Maiden Shot My Heart" is an example of a hard choice whether to translate a poem into classical or modern poetry. However, the best I have done was to appropriate between both choices. Images are almost kept the same, but the classical style, …

How Seamlessly...., Pulkita Anand

Comparative Woman

No abstract provided.

Living Losses, Courtney A. Brown Phd

Comparative Woman

Contextually, I am from a line of strong black women. I am from a community of strivers and survivors who’ve accomplished great things through the blanket of patriarchy and civil injustices. I stand on the shoulders of many who took literal and figurative hits so that I could have opportunities they only dreamed of. I have followed in this legacy shattering glass ceilings into unrecognizable pieces for those who will come next.

However, breaking through has not come without cuts, bruises, scrapes and wounds. The celebration of smashing stereotypes should at least be balanced with the acknowledgement of the formidable …

A Recipe For Pumpkin Bread, Tyler R. Sheldon

Comparative Woman

No abstract provided.

Negara Hukum Kesejahteraan Di Batas Pantai: Paradoks Perlindungan Negara Terhadap Masyarakat Pesisir Di Tengah Perubahan Iklim, Aji Baskoro

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Climate change poses significant challenges to vulnerable coastal communities in Indonesia. As a welfare state, the Indonesian government is expected to safeguard these vulnerable groups through policies that promote their welfare and sustainable livelihoods. However, current policies create a paradox. This article explores this paradox: on the one hand, Indonesia adheres to the welfare state principle, which demands that all government actions be grounded in law, ensuring public safety and welfare. On the other hand, the policies focus on exploiting natural resources, exacerbating the vulnerabilities of coastal communities, particularly in the face of climate change. The article employs a normative …

Providing End-Of-Life Counseling: A Narrative Inquiry, Carol Hecht, Sibyl West

Adultspan Journal

This qualitative study aimed to address the gap in the research related to end-of-life counseling by exploring the experiences of counselors working with clients at end of life. While counseling literature and education are lacking regarding end of life, many counselors will work alongside clients approaching death. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to better understand the nuanced experiences of counselors providing end-of-life counseling and (b) to explore the supports and preparations helpful for counselors to provide end-of-life counseling. A narrative approach, using the Listening Guide (Gilligan, 2015), was employed to analyze and present the stories of three …

Considerations Of Medicare Telehealth Services With Older Adults, Sonah Kho, Amanda Dediego

Adultspan Journal

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic set in motion a rapid expansion of mental health services offered via telehealth. With this rapid expansion came the need to examine how policy and practice should be shaped in a future where telehealth is considered common in counseling practice. For counselors to understand how to support older adult clients in using telehealth services, they must understand telehealth policy. Following the eligibility of licensed counselors to participate in Medicare, counselors need to stay abreast of regulatory changes regarding restrictions and regulations on use of telehealth for mental and behavioral health services, including video and …

Applying A Framework Of Epistemic Injustice To Understand The Impact Of Covid-19 On People With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Sarah Lineberry, Matthew Bogenschutz

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Epistemic injustice, the theory of unfairness related to knowledge, is a useful framework for understanding the ways in which historic and ongoing marginalization and stereotypes have shaped the ways that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a scoping review of the literature and divided findings into physical health (cases, hospitalization, and death) and psychosocial outcomes (access to services, mental health symptoms, community participation, etc.). Impacts were then analyzed using the key principles of epistemic injustice. Findings suggest that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experienced high rates of negative …

Acknowledgments, Matthew T. Wappett Ph.D.

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Double Burden Of Persons With Disabilities: Are Those More Likely To Suffer From Chronic Disease?, Salsabila Kusumawardani, Hardiyani Puspitasari, Muhammad Ciro Danuza, Yusuf Faisal Martak

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

This study examines the likelihood of persons with disabilities experiencing chronic diseases compared to those without disabilities, emphasizing the role of demographic characteristics. Prior research shows that individuals with disabilities have a higher risk of chronic diseases due to pre-existing health conditions, secondary complications, healthcare access barriers, and limited health education. Beyond these factors, we argue that demographic characteristics—such as age, gender, insurance status, and living environment—also shape daily habits and lifestyles that influence long-term health outcomes. Using probit regression analysis, this study quantifies the probability of chronic disease among persons with disabilities. Our findings indicate that individuals with disabilities …

Atmospheres Of Ableism: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Everyday Encounters, Kelly Parke

2024 Symposium

Campbell and Nario-Redmond explain that ableism entails explicit and implicit biases that manifest at every level of social life. At the same time, Taussig describes ableism as "the atmosphere we breathe." Disability Studies scholarship has done much to identify how ableism operates in the everyday lives of disabled and non-disabled people alike; however, little work has been done to articulate it in terms of the atmospheric quality that Taussig discusses.

Building on Taussig's assessment of ableism in conjunction with Casey's similar articulation of the atmosphere of emotion, this paper addresses the findings of an online qualitative survey distributed to adults …

We're Here To Stay: Nonviolence And The Disability Rights Movement, Sky Mcleod

University Honors Theses

Nonviolent resistance is an effective tool for enacting large scale change including the advancement of civil rights. Disabled Americans have often used nonviolent protest and civil resistance to this aim. Despite this rich history of activism, the history of the Disability Rights Movement has largely been missing from scholarship on nonviolent resistance. Similarly, historical accounts in Disability Studies provide a fragmented perspective on the use of nonviolent resistance by Disabled people. This thesis delves into this under-appreciated history. From the League of the Physically Handicapped in the 1930s to Trump’s inauguration in 2016, this paper traces the progress of the …

Resilience And Advocacy: A Narrative Analysis Of Disability Campaigns In The United States, Jennifer-Lyn B. Youberg

Student Theses and Dissertations

This narrative analysis delves deeply into the REV UP, #IHelpVeterans, and Snack Zone disability campaigns, dissecting their shared themes and strategies. It underscores the pivotal role of community engagement, stressing the importance of not just raising awareness but actively involving communities in advocacy efforts. Moreover, it highlights how these campaigns leverage personal narratives to humanize disability issues, making them more relatable and compelling. Additionally, the study emphasizes the necessity of advocating for systemic change, pointing out that while individual actions matter, broader structural reforms are needed to address deeply entrenched barriers. By fostering collaboration, amplifying marginalized voices, and pushing for …