Explorations in Leadership

Human Diversity and Human Rights

Disability Studies

Discussion responses for the student's posts

Response posts are expected to be at least 200 words each

Required Textbooks:

Garcia-Irate, E., McConkey, R., & Gilligan, R. (2016). Disability and human rights: global perspectives. New York: Palgrave.

Obrien, R. (2001). Crippled Justice. The History of Modern Disability Policy in the Workplace. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

POST 1

Joseph Szekely

I noticed that there were several similarities between last week's reading and the disability rights movement. The reading on History of the Women’s Rights Movement, History of Gay Rights, and the Civil Rights Movement were oriented toward the goals of freedom, rights, acceptance, and acknowledgment from the rest of the population. These groups, like the disability rights movement, had to band together and form one voice so that their protesting and lobbying could carry enough weight to change the system that existed around them. In the end, I think that it was through these actions of fighting for a common goal and working together that these groups created the changes around them and showed how these are connected to each other. It's interesting to see how these themes were carried across groups, and then to look at how the U.S. is fairing with its current movements. It seems like there is a lot of division, with everyone wanting something different. I guess it's just a little troubling because all of the past movements that had major change had a lot more unity. Then again, maybe it is only through looking back that all the unity can be seen so, that then and now seem less stable than they really are.

The differences in the movement seem to revolve around who was included as well. Some of the time disabled people were not included in the movement because they were seen as not able or capable. So instead of the people that were actually in the movement caregivers or councilors were their voice. This is because at the time it was bereaved that many disabled people were unable to making sound decisions. This seems like a pretty troubling idea because it limits the truth and can be misinterpreted in the end.

POST 2

Kelli Connor,

When we look at the Early Disability Rights Movements and want to compare them to the social movements that we talked about last week. What is see is that we have the core value of Social Movements at the heart of all these movements.

Last week we looked at the Human rights, Women Rights, the history of Gay Rights, and then moved into the rights from the Parkland teens. What it all started with was a group of people who were not ok with how they or the ones around them they loved are being treated. They started to make small but continually social movements that then have changed the future for these groups of people. If it wasn’t for the first demonstrations that each of these groups started, we would not have the policy changes, laws and movements to educate people about these areas.

The way that I see this resemble in the Early Disability Rights Movement is that it started with the VR back around WW1 and then every few years there was an amendment to this ACT. Then when they wanted to see 504 put into place, they made a huge Social Movement with their sit-ins. These actions are what made the positive changes to the legislation and made the waves for Civil rights for all Americans with disabilities to be changed.

I have a hard time to see where much of these differ. What I see is that people want to have change, want to be treated equally and the core of these movements are a parallel too each other. I think this is such a beautiful way to do things. There is never a reason that people should be discriminated, segregated or oppressed. It is such a sad world that we have lived in. That these are harsh realities that thousands of Americans have had to live through and still do. When in reality with our world in the last year we still are seeing it. Over the last week I have learned a lot of things in the class about Social Movements and it is such an eye-opening lesson for me personally.