Eithne McLaughlin and Bronagh Byrne

1
Disability and Equality themes of sameness and
difference the challenges for theory and
practice
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Eithne McLaughlin and Bronagh Byrne
• The Queens University of Belfast
• Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project
• Working Paper 9

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
2
Objectives of the paper
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Review and apply recent equality theorising
  for/to disability
• Review similarities and differences between
  disability and other social (in)equalities
• Consider strategic implications of sameness and
  difference for social politics of and scholarship
  about disability and equality

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
3
The Context
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Absence of disability from equality theorising
• Absence of goal of equality from disability
  politics
• Preferred disclosure of inclusion citizenship
  social rights
• Policy context Development of European single
  equality approach

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
4
Definitions
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Impairment abnormality of biological
  functioning
• Disability the environmental response to
  abnormalities of functionings in the population
• Abnormality _at_ population level is normal

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
5
The Four Eyes of Disability
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Identity and identification
• Intimacy
• Independence
• Integration

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
6
Identity identification
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Disability is an administrative label/concept
  rationing access to services etc.
• The social welfare response to disability-
  individualistic impairment/intervention oriented
• More a ascribed i.e. allocated than a chosen
  identity imposed vs chosen community
  (Williams, 1999)
• Implications, communicative justice,
  participation, equality mainstreaming
• Recognitional autonomy

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
7
Intimacy
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• The care and control complex
• Autonomy (moral decisional executional
  recognitional)
• Language of interdependence and
  support/assistance

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
8
Independence
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Normality of interdependence
• Legitimising human interdependence
  vulnerability and need

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
9
Integration
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Normalisation and social inclusion or acceptance
  and celebration of difference?
• Become one of the majority or have the majority
  adjust to the minority?

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
10
Equality TheorisingTurner (1996)
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Ontological equality (basic, moral equality
  security of the person)
• Equality of opportunity
• Equality of condition
• Equality of outcome

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
11
Equality Theorising at the start of the 21st
century
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Five main schools of thought
• The luck egalitarians purpose of equality
  provisions is to moderate the natural
  distribution of luck and good fortune, so that
  wellbeing/welfare becomes independent of the
  accident of luck (Cohen ,Gough)
• The Virtuous life purpose of equality and
  other social provisions is to provide everyone
  with the opportunity via the necessary
  capabilities and functioning's to create the good
  life of their choosing (Sen, Naussbaum
• Fair equality of opportunity
• Communicative justice/equality of voice
• Equality of condition

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
12
Equality Theorising Baker et al (2004) Fair
equality of opportunity
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• shared public value system of basic equality
• Base levels of equality of condition required in
  5 dimensions/social fields
• Respect and recognition
• Resources
• Power, participation and representation
• Love, care and solidarity
• Work employment, and learning

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
13
Equality theorising Communicative Justice
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Equality of voice of social groups (Young)
  (ideal speech and the rule of reason, Habermas)

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
14
Unasked questions
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• What is social progress?
• What is human development?

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
15
Equality Theorising Sen (1992) Sen Naussbaum
(2000)
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Capabilities and functionings under
  specification the indexing problem
• Basic capabilities (Marxs primary drives
  Doyal and Goughs basic needs)
• Internal capabilities Marxs secondary drives
• Combined capabilities capability and
  environment outcome

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
16
Equality Theorising Naussbaum (2000, 2005)
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Capabilities required for the virtuous life
• Life
• Bodily health
• Bodily integrity
• Senses, imagination and thought
• Emotions
• Practical reason
• Affiliation
• Concern for other species
• Play
• Control over the environment
• (Source Naussbaum, 2000 83)

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
17
Equality Theorising Feldman (2002)
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• Promotion of respect and challenge to
  stereotyping
• Affirmation of community/group identities
• Facilitation of full participation and social
  inclusion

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast
18
Disability Sameness and Difference Conclusions
Equality and Social Inclusion in Ireland Project

• disability different to other inequalities in 4
  main ways
• relative importance of autonomy
• Importance and difficulty of care, love and
  solidarity
• Extent of imposed, ascribed identity and
  community
• Costs and scale of base levels of equality of
  condition
• Disability same as other inequalities in two
  main ways
• Tolerate or assimilate difference of the
  minority
• Commonalities and harms of oppression and
  inequality.

Project Co-ordinator E McLaughlin, Queens
University Belfast