Provocations for Critical Disability Studies

TLDR

Critical Disability Studies is an interdisciplinary field building on foundational disability studies theories, and its scholarship is growing rapidly, prompting a call for reflection. The article proposes five provocations to stimulate reflection on the purpose, inclusivity, subject–object status, discourse, and attention to disability and ability in Critical Disability Studies, concluding with a call for a reflexive and politicised approach. The authors summarize recent analytical twists and turns in the field that raise questions and concerns, and they outline five provocations to guide reflection. Scholarship in Critical Disability Studies is expanding rapidly, prompting a need to pause and reflect.

Abstract

This article posits a number of provocations for scholars and researchers engaged with Critical Disability Studies. We summarise some of the analytical twists and turns occurring over the last few years that create a number of questions and concerns. We begin by introducing Critical Disability Studies; describing it as an interdisciplinary field of scholarship building on foundational disability studies theories. Critical Disability Studies scholarship is being produced at an exponential rate and we assert that we need to take pause for thought. We lay out five provocations to encourage reflection and debate: what is the purpose of Critical Disability Studies; how inclusive is Critical Disability Studies; is disability the object or subject of studies; what matters or gets said about disability; and how can we attend to disability and ability? We conclude by making a case for a reflexive and politicised Critical Disability Studies.