Disability in Society

Catalog description

Disability is both an important form of diversity that shapes people's daily lives and personal values, and a shared experience that cuts across society and culture, experienced globally by people of all ages, racial and ethnic identities, genders, sexualities, and religions. "Disability" refers to health conditions that fundamentally alter how someone engages in the world around them, including physical, psychological, and developmental illnesses. Everyone will experience disability in their lives, whether temporary or chronic, making it especially important to consider how disability shapes, and is shaped by, society at large. In this course, students will learn about the multifaceted relationships between disability and society, including the impact of ethical, cultural, political, and technological factors on the wellbeing of people with disabilities. We will critically examine representations of people with disabilities in literature, the arts, and popular media in order to interrogate the assumptions and stereotypes about disability that circulate through mainstream culture and how they shape interpersonal and institutional practices. Throughout these topics, students will reflect on the intersections of numerous identities with disability through a multi-disciplinary lens, drawing on bioethics, anthropology, sociology, literary studies, and the arts. The course sessions will blend lecture and discussion, and assessments will include written responses and exams. Offered as BETH 339 and BETH 439 . Counts as a Human Diversity & Commonality course. Counts as a Moral & Ethical Reasoning course.