Transnationalising Disability Studies: Rights, Justice and Impairment
Karen Soldatic and Shaun Grech
About Transnationalising Disability Studies: Rights, Justice and Impairment
When most people think about justice and equality, they often forget one crucial area: disability rights. In this powerful article, Waldschmidt, Dilger, and B. way explore what it means to think about disability not just locally, but globally. They argue that if we really want justice, we need to pay attention to how disability is experienced—and handled—around the world.
This piece is part of the growing movement to transnationalize disability studies. Translation? It means looking beyond the Western, individual-rights-focused model and understanding how culture, economy, colonialism, and history shape the experiences of disabled people differently in different parts of the world. For example, what “access” means in Berlin might be very different from what it means in Nairobi, or Dhaka, or São Paulo.
The authors show that disability isn’t just a medical issue—it’s deeply tied to politics, human rights, economics, and social justice. They want to move disability studies beyond just “fixing” impairments or providing services. Instead, they advocate for a broader vision: one that centers collective rights, global solidarity, and justice, especially for communities that have historically been ignored or exploited.
The article also raises tough but necessary questions about whose voices are centered in disability conversations. Too often, it’s researchers, institutions, or NGOs from the Global North who dominate the field, even when they’re talking about the Global South. The authors call for a more inclusive, intersectional, and equitable approach—one where disability justice is shaped by the people most affected.
Before You Read
When you think of disability rights, what comes to mind? Curb cuts and ramps? Sign language interpreters? Those things matter—but they’re only one piece of a much bigger picture.
In this reading, you’ll explore how disability is understood and addressed across different cultures, countries, and political systems. The authors ask us to zoom out and take a global lens—to recognize how poverty, colonialism, war, and migration all impact how people experience and survive disability.
Before diving in, ask yourself: Who gets to define what disability means? What counts as “fair” or “just” for disabled people? And how might those answers change depending on where you live, what resources you have, or what your cultural background is?
This article challenges us to think about disability not just as an identity or medical condition—but as a human rights and justice issue, one that demands global awareness and collaboration.
Guiding Questions
- What does it mean to “transnationalize” disability studies, and why do the authors think it’s necessary?
- How do global inequalities (economic, political, historical) shape the experiences of disabled people in different regions?
- What are the limitations of Western, individual-rights-based approaches to disability justice?
- How can we ensure that disability advocacy includes a wider range of voices, especially from the Global South?
WHERE TO FIND THIS READING
Required Reading: This work is under Copyright (c) 2014 Karen Soldatic and Shaun Grech, but it can be viewed online at the following link
Supplementary Reading: Links to alternative readings that cover similar topics
