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Disability History and Studies

Welcome!

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Welcome to the Disabilities Studies LibGuide!

What are Disabilities Studies?

Disability Studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines disability as a social, cultural, and political phenomenon. This field seeks to understand disability in its many forms, including physical, intellectual, sensory, and psychiatric disabilities. Disability Studies scholars examine disability through multiple lenses, including the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences.

The History of Disabilities Studies?

The roots of Disability Studies can be traced back to the 1960s and 1970s when people with disabilities began to challenge traditional notions of disability and advocate for their rights. Disability Studies emerged as a formal field of study in the 1980s and 1990s, with the establishment of academic programs and scholarly journals dedicated to the topic.

Disabilities Studies Today

Today, Disability Studies plays an important role in shaping our understanding of disability and its impact on individuals and society. Disability Studies scholars have made significant contributions to the fields of education, law, medicine, and public policy, and have helped to advance disability rights and inclusion.

How to Use this LibGuide

How to Use This Guide

This LibGuide is designed to provide you with resources and information to support your studies in Disability Studies. Whether you are a student, researcher, or practitioner, you will find a wealth of materials here to help you explore this fascinating and important field. We invite you to explore the various sections of this guide, including books, articles, databases, and websites, and to contact us if you need further assistance.

Feedback

We are committed to making this Disability Studies LibGuide as useful and user-friendly as possible. We welcome feedback and suggestions from our users on how we can improve the content or accessibility of this resource.

If you have any comments or suggestions on how we can improve this guide, or if you have any resources you would like to see included, please don't hesitate to contact us. Your feedback is valuable to us and will help us to continually improve this resource for all users.

You can reach us via email or by contacting the librarian attached to this guide. We appreciate your input and look forward to hearing from you.

Accessibility Statement
The University provides reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities upon request. Any person with a disability who needs accommodations for a workshop should contact UMA Libraries at uma.library@maine.edu to submit a request. Due to the lead-time needed to arrange certain accommodations, individuals should submit their request no later 1 week before the event.