Ostrich politics: exploring the place of social care in disability studies
Jennifer Harris (Plenary Speaker), Social Policy Research Unit, University of York
Abstract
Disability studies has become reluctant in recent times to acknowledge the central position of social care, 'welfare' and social work in the lives of disabled people in the UK. Social care has become a poor relation in the brave new world of the social model and direct payments but there are a number of reasons why it is important to continue to acknowledge the centrality of social care in disabled people's lives, not least the amount of disabled people in the UK using these services. The de-emphasis on social care or refusal to engage with the realities of social care and the part it plays in most disabled people's lives in the UK, leads to an unhelpful impasse where the 'solution' to the failures of social care is coming to be seen as abandonment or turning the back upon social work, social care and all things social service. This leads to a situation of 'ostrich politics' where disability studies appears to be moving away from the realities of life for disabled people.
The reasoning behind this position will be illustrated with examples from a project undertaken with disabled asylum seekers, who are multiply oppressed (Harris 2003). Models illustrating the oppression of disabled asylum seekers will be presented. The core argument presented here is that Disability Studies as an emerging discipline must continue to be centrally concerned with social care provision, not least because of its role in gate-keeping resources that disabled people, particularly disabled asylum seekers, require. Disability studies must continue to influence and promote social care research of this type and must continue to influence policy makers and governments to ensure that disabled people obtain access to social care services.
- Harris J. (2003) 'All doors are closed to us': a social model analysis of the experiences of disabled refugees and asylum seekers in Britain' Disability & Society, Vol. 18, No.4. 2003, pp.393-408.