The Politics of Disablement: A Review on Issues Pertaining to Access for All to Public Spaces

Abstract

Everyday, across the globe, politics of inclusion and exclusion take place in living spaces which are designed with the normate template in mind. This template spells out the standard measurements into which a “normal” able bodied person can operate in. This template solely refers to the implicit, often unconscious model of a privileged, able bodied individual. The assumption is that everyone has to fit and behave in a manner that befits the given space. Consideration of the normate template however leads to the formation of barriers which perpetuate segregation and discrimination of people with disabilities. In the quest to advocate for equitable access by all, regardless of physical stature, researchers are aware that the pendulum of studies on disability swings back and forth between the models and the theories of disability. One glaring factor which most people agree on is the fact that inappropriate layout and design of the built up environment is what leads to a handicap. In addition to the lack of physical access, people with disabilities have to grapple with attitudinal barriers. These are mental inferences and assumptions on the capabilities of a person. Through this research a review of secondary data was conducted with a view to shift the accessibility lens to embrace facets enhancing universal access for all.