Different bodies: essays on disability in film and television

Abstract

This is a collection of 19 new essays by 21 different authors from the United States, the UK, Canada, Australia and India. It focuses on contemporary film and television (1989 to the present) from those countries as well as from China, Korea, Thailand and France. The essays are divided into three sections. The first and second, entitled Disability on Screen: Critical Reflections, include critical readings of narrative film and television respectively. The third, entitled Disability in Production and Reception: Critical Reflections, includes essays on documentaries, biopics and autobiographically-informed films, and an essay on audience reactions to a television series. The book as a whole is designed to be accessible to readers new to disability studies, while also contributing significantly to the field. An introduction provides a background in disability studies and an appendix of suggested reading in disability studies is provided.