First Advisor
Tripthi Pillai
Abstract
This article uses personal testimony as a vehicle for deconstructing the theory and literature of disability studies. The definition of disability is traced from the term's origins to its present-day representations in popular culture, and I end with a look toward the future of the subject in academic settings and in society at large. The fictional character of Artie Abrams is considered alongside the real-life figure of Oscar Pistorius in an attempt to analyze the dangers and motives behind stereotypes surrounding the "disabled character." Throughout the article, anecdotal excerpts are included to emphasize the importance of the personal perspective in better understanding the disabled experience. The ultimate goal is to turn the disabled figure from object into subject by un-defining what it means to be disabled.
Recommended Citation
Widdifield, Hannah
(2013)
"Who's Allowed to Ride the Short Bus? Un-Defining Disability,"
Bridges: A Journal of Student Research: Vol. 7:
Iss.
7, Article 6.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/bridges/vol7/iss7/6