Disability and Media Representation

Dustbins for Disavowal? News today that David Cameron’s disabled son, Ivan, has died, ought to prompt us to reflect on the way that disability is socially constructed, as well as the way that the media represent disability. The sociologist Tom Shakespeare, who himself suffers from achondroplasia, argues that the media overwhelmingly presents disability in a negative light. Now you may find this a puzzling viewpoint, but Shakespeare argues that the ‘disabled’ are in fact often very able; it all depends what sort of abilities you are talking about. Moreover, Shakespeare has made the point that his difficulty in using the London Underground largely arises from the way it has been designed - without regard for achondroplasics - dwarfs. If you make buildings which assume that everyone is a certain height and has two arms and two legs, then those who do not have those physical capabilities will find movement difficult.

Tom Shakespeare comes up with the memorable line that contemporary culture portrays the disabled as ‘dustbins for disavowal’. What he means is that society tries to ignore the disabled and in a way to try and deny their very existence.

How could you sociologically research and test these claims?