Disability in Politics

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Disability figures largely in U.S. politics and policy, from concerns about high-profile political leaders' mental and physical fitness for office to committees on "judicial disability." Issues of disability arise in matters ranging from disabilities caused in war, famine, and genocide; to issues of disability in death penalty cases, abortion, mass incarceration, and policy responses to mass shootings. This course addresses disability as a major force shaping political debate, public policy, and political thought. Along with race, class, and gender, this course examines the presence and impact of disability in society, law, and polity, informed by disabled advocates and political leaders.