Introduction to Disability Studies

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Disability Studies is an academic discipline that explores social categories and lived experiences of disability in order to create a more equitable and accessible world. This course introduces students to the central questions, methods, and debates in this field. Topics include definitions and conceptual models of disability; the history of disabled people and communities; ableism and its intersections with racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression; disability rights and disability justice movements; representations of disability in art, literature, and popular culture; theories and perspectives on normalcy and difference, and legal and social policy frameworks. The course culminates in a student-driven project aimed at increasing access, inclusiveness, and awareness of disability and ableism on campus.