Disability Studies
A Nordic Perspective
Disability Studies Conference
Lancaster, July 2004
Rannveig Traustadóttir
Faculty of Social Science
University of Iceland
rannvt@hi.is
Disability Studies
A Nordic Perspective
Overview
 The Nordic context
 Nordic Disability Studies/Disability Research
 Similarities and difference with UK Disability
studies
 Is there a Nordic model of disability?
 Understanding disability
 Theoretical approaches
 The social model of disability from a Nordic
perspective
 Disability studies as a field
 Future of Nordic - UK connections
The Nordic Context
 Five Nordic countries
 Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway & Sweden
 Three self-governing regions
 Åland Islands, Faeroe Islands & Greenland
 Lapland - Sami people in the North
 Crossing Norway, Sweden, Finland & North
Russia
Nordic Situatedness and
Politics of Location
 How do we handle our located situatedness?
 Empirical research
 located in own country
 lessons from others
 lessons for others
 Domination of UK and USA
 important contributions
 dominating and generalized
 Non–English/ Non–UK/USA
 must decide if we locate us or generalize
 problems of language and translations
Disability & Disability Studies in
the Nordic Countries
 Historical and political context 1960s/70s
 Citizenship and equality – basic principles and
values of the welfare state
 The principle of normalization was formulated in
the Nordic countries
 Disabled people’s movement
 Independent living movement
 Welfare provisions and human rights should be
extended to all, including disabled people
Disability & Disability Studies in
the Nordic Countries?
 Historical and political context 1960s/70s
 Critique of institutions – unacceptable living
conditions and human rights violations
 Critique of medical understanding of disability
 Society and the environment should be be
changed so disabled people could participate
 ‘Environmental turn’ - The focus shifted from the
individual as the sole problem to include the
social context
 Top down reforms
NNDR
Nordic Network on Disability Research
 1992 FUN, Forskning om
utveklingshemming I Norden
(Nordic Intellectual Disability Research)
 1997 NNDR, Nordic Network on
Disability Research
 1999 SJDR, Scandinavian Journal of
Disability Research
Nordic Disability Research
From NNDR Statutes
NNDR is a multidisciplinary network of
disability researchers interested in
cultural, societal and environmental
dimensions of disability and
marginalization.
The purpose and intention of NNDR is to
promote and advance research and
development in the field of disability.
Nordic Disability Research
From NNDR Statutes
cont…
cont…
 NNDR provides a forum for disability
researchers, particularly from the Nordic
countries, to meet, present, and discuss
their research, as well as encouraging
Nordic and international exchange and
collaboration.
UK Disability Studies
From Lancaster 2004 conference
 Disability Studies is concerned with the
inter-disciplinary development of an
increasing body of knowledge and
practice, which has arisen from the
activities of the disabled people’s
movement, and which has come to be
known as ‘the social model of disability.’
UK Disability Studies
cont…
From Lancaster conference
cont.
 The social model of disability locates the
changing character of disability, which is
viewed as an important dimension of
inequality, in the social and economic
structure and culture of the society in
which it is found, rather than in
individual limitations.
Two Major Differences
 UK focus:
 Nordic focus:
 Disability Studies
 Disability Research
 The social model of
disability
 No one single
theory or model of
disability
Is there a Nordic
Model of Disability?
 No one single way or approach but a
‘family of ideas’
 The Nordic relational model/approach
 Three main characteristics
 Disability is a person-environment mismatch
(relationship/relational)
 Disability is situational or contextual
 Disability is relative
(Tøssebro 2002, 2004)
Understanding of Disability in
the Nordic Countries
 Issues of Language
 ‘Disability’ is an umbrella term for groups of
people with different impairments
 No unity within the Nordic countries about
language use
 The distinction between ‘disability’ and
‘impairment’ does not translate well into Nordic
languages
 ‘Disabled people’ or ‘People with disabilities’
 The term ‘disability studies’ is also difficult to
translate into some Nordic languages
Nordic Disability Studies
 Many disability scholars
 Many disability focused courses
 Single courses as part of other programs (social
work, education, …)
 Few disability studies programs - but are
being developed – mostly MA programs
 Doctoral students in many fields focus their
work on disability
 Not a clear definition of ‘disability studies’
 DS and ‘traditional’ disability focused
programs (rehab., special ed., …)
Theoretical Development
in Nordic Disability Research
 Most Nordic Disability research has been
practical empirical policy oriented
research
----------------------------------------------- Main characteristics (Gustavsson 2004)
 Non-theoretical approaches
 The reformer’s perspective
(‘does-it-work’ approach)
 Personal experiences
(‘Experience-near perspectives’)
Theoretical Development
in Nordic Disability Research
 Three main theoretical perspectives
 Essentialist perspectives
 Individual essentialism – the clinical model
 Contextual essentialism – the social model
 Constructionist perspectives
 Linguistic constructionism
 Cultural constructionism
 Relative interactionist perspective
 The most Nordic – originates in 1960s/70s as
an alternative to the more individual,
essential definitions of disability
Theoretical Development
in Nordic Disability Research
 Relative interactionist perspective
 Takes the relative definition of disability
seriously
 Emphasizes a multi level approach and
analysis
 Empirical sensitivity
 Different versions of the relative
interactionist perspective can be identified
Approaches to Disability
in the Nordic Countries
 Given the most common understanding of
disability and the theoretical approaches in
Nordic disability research
 there is a firm believe that no one theory,
approach, method or model can bring all the
answers
 instead we must employ multiple ways and
approaches - and keep looking for new ones
 the complexity of human existence calls for
multiple and complex methods and approaches
UK Social Model of Disability and
the Nordic Countries
 UK social model has received much attention
among Nordic scholars, disabled people and
professionals
 The social model is in line with dominant
understanding of disability in the Nordic
countries
 Has worked to re-vitalize and radicalize
discussions and debates
 Liberating for disabled people
 Has directed Nordic attention to UK Disability
Studies
UK Social Model of Disability and
the Nordic Countries
 The ‘disability’ – ‘impairment’ debate is
confusing and not easily understandable in
the Nordic lands
 Which social model?
 Is there one social model?
 Linking DS to one model is difficult for
Nordic scholars to relate to
 Has been criticized by Nordic scholars
UK and Nordic Disability Studies
Similarities and Differences
 Social and environmental emphasis
 Commitment to disability rights political agenda - and
activism
 Disabled researchers
 Links to disabled people and
the disabled people’s movement
 Theoretical perspectives
 Issues of accessibility
 Two major contributions
 Nordic: Normalization
 UK: Social model of disability
 International influence
Disability Studies
 Belongs to a group of ‘new’
multidisciplinary fields, e.g.
 Feminist/women’s/gender studies
 Lesbian and gay/queer studies
 Ethnic minority studies
Disability Studies and Other
Multidisciplinary Fields of Study
 Similarities
 Roots in social movements aimed to end
oppression and marginalization
 Scholarship and activism
 Opposition to hegemonic normalcy
 Critique of dominant theories
 Challenging key concepts
 Development of new methodologies
 The biological and the social
 Essentialism and constructivism
 And much more …
Disability Studies and Other
Multidisciplinary Fields of Study
 Differences
 At least one significant difference between
DS and the other fields: Society has put in
place service industry to ‘deal with’ disabled
people and devotes much resources to it
 Other differences




How big is the group in question
The individual’s relationship to the group
Historical, social and cultural context
And more…
Disability Studies and Other
Multidisciplinary Fields of Study
 What can DS learn from the other fields?
 How did they start and develop?
 Why are some flourishing and others
experiencing backlash?
 Historical and cultural contexts
 Place in the academy (disciplinary affiliation,
independent programs or integrated courses)
 ‘Fragmentation’ of the fields
 Survival strategies
Nordic – UK Future Collaboration
 NNDR has made conscious efforts to
connect with UK disability scholars
 Exciting ideas, debates, sophisticated theorizing,
innovative methods, etc.
 Geographical neighbors
 Many similarities, social, cultural, political, etc.
 From a Nordic perspective
 these connections have been wonderful;
challenging, expanding, fruitful and inspiring on
a scholarly level - and
 very rewarding on a personal level
Nordic - UK Future Collaboration
 NNDR efforts
Working language of NNDR is English
NNDR conferences are in English
SJDR is an English language journal
English language series on Nordic
disability research is being published
 We invite, encourage, welcome and
respect multiple and various perspectives




Nordic - UK
Future Collaboration and Contacts
Next NNDR conference
Oslo, Norway
April 14 – 16, 2005
http://www.sell.hil.no.nndr2005
or
http://www.nndr.dk
We welcome people from the UK
and other countries
References

Gustavsson, A. (2004). The role of theory in disability research:
Springboard or strait-jacket? Scandinavian Journal of Disability
Research, Special Issue: Understanding Disability. 6(1), 55-70.

Tøssebro, J. (2002). Leaving the individual out: Practical and
logical problems. Paper presented at a Plenary Symposium
“Understanding disability: The UK Social Model and the Nordic
Relational Approach” at the 6th NNDR Conference, Disability
Research, Theory and Practice, 22 – 24 August, Reykjavík, Iceland.

Tøssebro, J. (2004). Understanding disability: Introduction to the
special issues of SJDR. Scandinavian Journal of Disability
Research, Special Issue: Understanding Disability. 6(1), 3 – 7.