New DS class Fall 2019

Drawing of a brain cross-section and a woman's face, from the early 20th century. Caption reads "Love in its anatomical connections. The corpus callosum, a great nerve center, the seat of love, in the female brain."

human skull with markings and labels indicating feelings and mental traits. Caption reads "Phrenological chart of the human brain."

white man seated with a measuring device on his head, held by a white man wearing a uniform

DIS ST/CHID 430 Topics in Disability Studies: History of Human Differences

Instructor: Joanne Woiak​

No prerequisites

Writing credit

M/W 2:30-4:20; Autumn 2019

Course description: 

The History of Human Differences will address the history of disabled people along with the ways that disability intersects with race, ethnicity, gender, class, and sexuality in justifications for discrimination in American society. Disability has often been used as shorthand to represent things that are negative and undesirable. We will examine historical episodes in which groups were oppressed by having disability attributed to them, including through scientific and medical knowledge used for ranking and defining normalcy. We will problematize the strategies of social justice movements that seek to purchase privilege by distancing themselves from disabled communities, and explore past and present examples of solidarity practices in disability rights and justice.

Questions? jwoiak@uw.edu