Social Causes of Impairment, Disability, and Abuse

Abstract

Impairments are often acquired as a result of social practices (e.g., war, interpersonal violence). There is a strong likelihood in a “disabling society” that disability will follow impairment. This article provides evidence suggesting that many of the social practices that cause impairments (and that therefore often lead to disabilities) are part of a large-scale social pattern that feminists often refer to as “patriarchy.” This social pattern is characterized by (a) male dominance; (b) hierarchy (e.g., a social class system); (c) male-on-male struggles for power (e.g., war); (d) control, exploitation, and devaluation of “the other” (e.g., racial minorities, people with disabilities); and (e) internalized oppression. Although disability scholars taking a sociopolitical approach to disability have usually focused on the social construction of disability through disabling attitudes, behaviors, and environments, this article advocates focusing also on the social construction of disability through the social creation of impairment provided a minority, not medical, model is used. The role of patriarchy in causing impairment (and disability) and the abuse of people with disabilities is discussed. A preliminary feminist model of patriarchal oppression, disability, and abuse is proposed.