From Criminalisation to Individual Choice: Policy Responses to Changing Constructions of Intellectual Disability in Western Australia
This article uses an historical perspective to explore how constructions of disability influenced policy and services for people with intellectual disabilities in Western Australia (WA) from the time of British colonisation until the present day. The authors approach the discussion from a critical d...
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Stockholm University Press
2019-05-01
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Series: | Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research |
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Online Access: | https://www.sjdr.se/articles/571 |
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doaj-ee07822628324b6ea4be0b04f77b13942020-11-24T21:40:12ZengStockholm University PressScandinavian Journal of Disability Research1745-30112019-05-0121110.16993/sjdr.571520From Criminalisation to Individual Choice: Policy Responses to Changing Constructions of Intellectual Disability in Western AustraliaWendy Simpson0Trudi Cooper1Vicki Banham2Edith Cowan UniversityEdith Cowan UniversityEdith Cowan UniversityThis article uses an historical perspective to explore how constructions of disability influenced policy and services for people with intellectual disabilities in Western Australia (WA) from the time of British colonisation until the present day. The authors approach the discussion from a critical disability perspective in the analysis of disability constructs, political responses and social change, incorporating the Foucauldian concept of biopower to explain the physical infrastructure, classification and dividing practices that produced ‘docile subjects’. The authors argue that changing social constructions of disability since the 18th century affected the lives of people with disability in WA and continue, through their embodiment in infrastructure, to influence present-day practices, even after policy has changed. This approach illuminates the interplay between metaphorical and literal constructions of disability and allows the legacy of past assumptions to be examined.https://www.sjdr.se/articles/571Intellectual disabilityWestern Australiasocial constructionpolicyFoucault |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Wendy Simpson Trudi Cooper Vicki Banham |
spellingShingle |
Wendy Simpson Trudi Cooper Vicki Banham From Criminalisation to Individual Choice: Policy Responses to Changing Constructions of Intellectual Disability in Western Australia Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research Intellectual disability Western Australia social construction policy Foucault |
author_facet |
Wendy Simpson Trudi Cooper Vicki Banham |
author_sort |
Wendy Simpson |
title |
From Criminalisation to Individual Choice: Policy Responses to Changing Constructions of Intellectual Disability in Western Australia |
title_short |
From Criminalisation to Individual Choice: Policy Responses to Changing Constructions of Intellectual Disability in Western Australia |
title_full |
From Criminalisation to Individual Choice: Policy Responses to Changing Constructions of Intellectual Disability in Western Australia |
title_fullStr |
From Criminalisation to Individual Choice: Policy Responses to Changing Constructions of Intellectual Disability in Western Australia |
title_full_unstemmed |
From Criminalisation to Individual Choice: Policy Responses to Changing Constructions of Intellectual Disability in Western Australia |
title_sort |
from criminalisation to individual choice: policy responses to changing constructions of intellectual disability in western australia |
publisher |
Stockholm University Press |
series |
Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research |
issn |
1745-3011 |
publishDate |
2019-05-01 |
description |
This article uses an historical perspective to explore how constructions of disability influenced policy and services for people with intellectual disabilities in Western Australia (WA) from the time of British colonisation until the present day. The authors approach the discussion from a critical disability perspective in the analysis of disability constructs, political responses and social change, incorporating the Foucauldian concept of biopower to explain the physical infrastructure, classification and dividing practices that produced ‘docile subjects’. The authors argue that changing social constructions of disability since the 18th century affected the lives of people with disability in WA and continue, through their embodiment in infrastructure, to influence present-day practices, even after policy has changed. This approach illuminates the interplay between metaphorical and literal constructions of disability and allows the legacy of past assumptions to be examined. |
topic |
Intellectual disability Western Australia social construction policy Foucault |
url |
https://www.sjdr.se/articles/571 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT wendysimpson fromcriminalisationtoindividualchoicepolicyresponsestochangingconstructionsofintellectualdisabilityinwesternaustralia AT trudicooper fromcriminalisationtoindividualchoicepolicyresponsestochangingconstructionsofintellectualdisabilityinwesternaustralia AT vickibanham fromcriminalisationtoindividualchoicepolicyresponsestochangingconstructionsofintellectualdisabilityinwesternaustralia |
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1725927386282721280 |