Policy Press

Understanding Disability Policy

By Alan Roulstone and Simon Prideaux

Published

Jan 18, 2012

Page count

256 pages

Browse the series

Understanding Welfare: Social Issues, Policy and Practice

ISBN

978-1847427380

Dimensions

240 x 172 mm

Imprint

Policy Press

Published

Jan 18, 2012

Page count

256 pages

Browse the series

Understanding Welfare: Social Issues, Policy and Practice

ISBN

978-1847427397

Dimensions

240 x 172 mm

Imprint

Policy Press

Published

Jan 18, 2012

Page count

256 pages

Browse the series

Understanding Welfare: Social Issues, Policy and Practice

ISBN

978-1447308362

Dimensions

Imprint

Policy Press

Published

Jan 18, 2012

Page count

256 pages

Browse the series

Understanding Welfare: Social Issues, Policy and Practice

ISBN

978-1447308379

Dimensions

Imprint

Policy Press
Understanding Disability Policy

In an era of scarce social resources the question of the changing social policy constructions and responses to disabled people has become increasingly important. Paradoxically, some disabled people are realising new freedoms and choices never before envisioned, whilst others are prey to major retractions in public services and aggressive attempts to redefine who counts as 'genuinely disabled'.

Understanding disability policy locates disability policy into broader social policy and welfare policy writings and goes beyond narrow statutory evaluations of welfare to embrace a range of indicators of disabled people's welfare. The book critically explores the roles of social security, social support, poverty, socio-economic status, community safety, official discourses and spatial change in shaping disabled people's opportunities. It also situates welfare and disability policy in the broader conceptual shifts to the social model of disability and its critics. Finally it explores the possible connection between changing official and academic constructions of disability and their implications for social policy in the 21st century.

The book is supported by a companion website, containing additional materials for both students and lecturers using the book, which is available from the link above.

"Roulstone and Prideaux have composed a beautiful book. It is engaging, accessible and meticulously written with a steady rhythm that invites the reader ... I have no hesitation in recommending this book. It's easy to read, conceptually clear and logically mapped out." British Journal of Social Work

Alan Roulstone is Professor of Applied Social Sciences (Disability Policy) at Northumbria University and Honorary Professor at Swansea University, UK. Alan is a disabled person who has written and researched extensively around disability policy and practice.

Simon Prideaux is Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, Sociology & Disability Studies at the University of Leeds, UK. Simon has written extensively on policy issues and policy change, and has current critical interests in the impact of neoliberalist policies on disabled people.

Introduction; Contextualising disability welfare policy; Cure, care and protect: the paternalist policy heritage; Clauses for conditionality: activating disabled adults; Aiming high enough? Disabled children and the mainstream lives; Getting it right? The impact of recent disability policy; Out of the labyrinth: the disability benefits system unpacked; Widening the policy gaze: what can we learn from comparative disability policy analysis; Conclusions.