EDUCATION
Disability Studies
Introduction to Disability Studies
Vision of Disability Studies
Disability Studies at Temple University offers a course of studies exploring the historical, cultural and socio-political challenges and accomplishments of the disability community. Persons with disabilities and their allies inform the our curriculum and methods of instruction. Disability Studies challenges the notion that the statuses and roles of individuals with disability are determined by their physical or physiological circumstances. By approaching disability from the perspective of human diversity and universality, the program promotes a more accurate understanding and appreciation of people with disabilities and the evolution of their civil rights movement; it also invites students to reflect on how the study of disability relates to professional, social and personal aspects of their lives.
Mission of Disability Studies
Disability Studies at Temple University builds capacity through a graduate curriculum that combines the scholarly and the experiential. This high quality and accessible program targets a variety of disciplines, extending beyond the traditional health and human services professions.
Inquiry in Disability Studies
Disability Studies is an emerging field driven by research efforts from a number of academic disciplines. At Temple University, faculty and students approach Disability Studies from fields including psychology, sociology, geography, anthropology, film & media studies, occupational therapy, history, business ... the list is endless. All aspects of disability are potentially included in the spectrum of inquiry at Temple, providing the scholarship is informed by a critical analysis of the social, political, biological, and cultural determinants of disability. That contextual foundation for Disability Studies is provided by a core of required courses that provide exposure to disability from a variety of perspectives: past and current definitions, fundamental concepts, theories, practices, policies, histories, institutions, communities, and events that shape our understanding of biological and cognitive differences.
Within this framework, specific foci of graduate study may include but are not limited to: sociological, cultural, and historical approaches to disability; legal, political, and economic issues; the intersections of impairment, therapeutic intervention, medical system approaches, and service programs; vocational and educational concerns; family issues; and psychosocial aspects of the disability experience.
We are in the process of developing formal relations with degree-granting departments at Temple University that will make combining coursework easier. Contact us for the latest information.
Related Articles
For a further examination of the rationale and need for Disability Studies, see Diane N. Bryen and Sieglinde A. Shapiro, "Disability Studies: What it is and Why it is Needed," an article from the Temple University Faculty Herald 25(4), February 12, 1996.
Literary studies scholar Joshua Lukin discusses work examining the complex interactions between representations of disability and race in historical and contemporary American society - "Black Disability Studies," Temple University Faculty Herald 36(4), February 14, 2006.
