La transition théâtrale dans l'ex-RDA : vers la recherche de nouvelles formes de régulation organisationnelle

Organized around a very dense set of public institutions, the theater world in the former German Democratic Republic has undergone major changes since reunification. New organizational models have come into being, often imported from West Germany, that jeopardize the foundations of theater practices in the East. In East Germany, people working in theater were strongly protected: homogeneous training, lifetime employment, the stability of forms of artistic cooperation, etc. Since reunification, a new division of labor and a new human resource management have been imposed in public theaters. The profession’s rules are changing as the itineraries of theater people are being individualized. The diversification of the theater world makes public institutions fragile. On the basis of field work in Saxony, questions are raised about how public theaters are being recomposed in the East. Attention is paid to individual and collective movements and to the movements of organizations.     

Organizational culture and creative processes: Comparing German theater companies and scientific institutes

An open organizational culture (for example, enhancement of individual autonomy) is needed in order to promote organizational creativity. But such openness can lead to problems with coordination that may jeopardize the organization's success. For example, an open organizational culture is accompanied by parallel processes of closure (promoting orientation, consensus, and trust) that reduce the negative secondary effects of openness (Gebert and others, 2004). It is thereby understood that the creative process in a theater company requires a greater effort at coordination than in scientific institutes. This is why cultural openness in a theater company comes with risk. Empirical results from interviews with 28 research institutes (N = 113) and 13 theater companies (N = 88) show that an open culture in theaters as well as in scientific institutes, is significantly connected to closed culture processes that serve as buffers. Furthermore, openness in a theater company in terms of risk prevention is developed significantly less than in scientific institutes. Also openness when the buffering closure is missing is not significantly connected to success in scientific institutes, and in theater companies there is even a significant negative connection. The need for buffering is thus especially meaningful for the results in a theater company.     

'We Won't Go Back': the ADA on the grass roots level

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights statute protecting people from discrimination based on a disability in both the private and the public sectors. Using interviews with grass roots persons with disabilities across the USA-many of whom are experienced activists-and using other sources this article describes the reaction of the disability community in the United States to the passage of the ADA and its impact. Largely people with disabilities feel empowered by the ADA. However, a strong amount of cynicism is also found at the grass roots level regarding it. A revealing example of the empowerment felt by people with disabilities is the conflict in New York City over a proposal for non-accessible public toilets. Other reactions and developments are discussed including the possibility of the repeal or weakening of the ADA. A fundamental change occurred in the US with the passage of the ADA and the disability community will not allow that change to be undone.     

Toward a model of changing disability identities: a proposed typology and research agenda

In light of recent developments in the field of disability studies, this article is an attempt to update a typology of orientations to disability developed over 20 years ago. The proposed revised typology represents a synthesis of two theoretical strands in sociology: opportunity structure theory and identity theory. The author provides examples from the literature, by and about people with disabilities, to illustrate each proposed type of disability identity. These types include normalisation, crusadership, affirmation, situational identification, resignation, apathy and isolated affirmation. The article suggests that individuals with disabilities may move along a 'career path' from one type to another over time, as they encounter new opportunities and interaction situations. The author proposes a research agenda to refine and establish the validity of the typology, and to determine its applicability to diverse populations of disabled people in the world today.     

Entrepreneurship by Any Other Name: Self-Sufficiency Versus Innovation

Entrepreneurship has been promoted as an innovative strategy to address the employment of people with disabilities. Research has predominantly focused on the self-sufficiency aspect without fully integrating entrepreneurship literature in the areas of theory, systems change, and demonstration projects. Subsequently there are gaps in services, policies, and research in this field that, in turn, have limited our understanding of the support needs and barriers or facilitators of entrepreneurs with disabilities. A thorough analysis of the literature in these areas led to the development of two core concepts that need to be addressed in integrating entrepreneurship into disability employment research and policy: clarity in operational definitions and better disability statistics and outcome measures. This article interrogates existing research and policy efforts in this regard to argue for a necessary shift in the field from focusing on entrepreneurship as self-sufficiency to understanding entrepreneurship as innovation.     

Leadership in an Able-bodied Social Context: one principal's impact on an inclusive urban school

While success and barriers to success for individuals with disabilities in the workplace have been the subject of research, there has been very little research on individuals with disabilities in leadership positions. Successful leaders with disabilities work in a society designed for the able-bodied, a society which generally expects less of them because of their disability. The authors present a qualitative study of a successful public elementary school principal with a serious visual impairment. His story reveals how he was able to succeed in the workplace and create a model school and an inclusion program for students with disabilities by bringing all members of the school community into his world of disability.     

Theory,practice, and perspectives: Disability Studies and parenting children with disabilities

Abstract

In this process-oriented article, the authors weave short personal narratives with theoretical reflections to examine the relationship between Disability Studies scholarship and parenting children with disabilities. The authors present three findings: first, their position as parent-teacher-scholars informs their work in Disability Studies. Second, the work of Disability Studies scholars has the potential to positively influence parents’ understandings of disability; consequently, Disability Studies-informed parenting can influence parent advocacy for their children. Third, parent-scholars have the potential to create research that can positively impact parents, practitioners, and the field of Disability Studies. The authors conclude by arguing that there is a need for Disability Studies scholarship for and by parents. This work is significant because it challenges divisions between theory and practice, and articulates a need and responsibility for parents to grapple with alternative understandings of disability and alternative (collective) ways to create better social conditions for their children.     

Qualitative inquiry of sibling relationships: reinforcement of disability devaluation through the exclusion of voices

People with disabilities share a history and culture of marginalization and oppression. In disability studies, disability has been re-defined as an inability or limitation in performance of the roles and tasks expected of individuals within society which excludes people from becoming full participants in social, cultural, and political affairs. Disability research has traditionally been ‘on’ rather than ‘with’ people with disabilities. This article examines how qualitative sibling disability research has been conducted, with a particular focus on the exclusion of people with disabilities.     

Understanding views of disability in the Cote d’Ivoire

While there are several international initiatives advocating for rights of individuals with disabilities in their community, many African countries lag behind in taking any actions. This is an ethnographic study conducted in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire in West Africa, and examines the current programs and services for children with disabilities, and views of disability among the public. It utilizes individual and group interviews, field observations, surveys and examination of governmental documents. There are tremendous needs and shortcomings regarding disability programs. This might be due not only to a lack of resources but to the views of disabilities held by society.     

Social work field education: believing in supervisors who are living with disabilities

Much of what is written by non-disabled authors about living with disabilities does not mirror people’s experiences or opportunities. Literature is often written about people’s abilities (or disabilities) rather than by or with people. Discourse about supervision of social work students can risk assuming that supervisors are people who do not identify as living with disabilities. This research is a co-operative inquiry into the experience of being an Australian social work student supervisor who is living with disabilities. The article extends the literature about being a social work field educator to include ability, and values the practice wisdom of experienced social workers including a current student supervisor who is living with a disability.     

Siblinghood through disability studies perspectives: diversifying discourse and knowledge about siblings with and without disabilities

Research about siblings where one has a disability has historically focused on the psychological outcomes of siblings of people with disabilities and has very rarely asked people with disabilities about their sibling relationships. This research focus represents the common individualizing approach and under-representation of people with disabilities that disability studies has argued against. Tracing the history of research about siblings and disability through de/institutionalization and towards current broader theories in disability studies, this article suggests that a range of disability studies perspectives can usefully de-individualize and expand research about siblings where one has a disability. Through examples of how materialist, feminist and inclusive perspectives can be applied to open up research about siblings and disability, the article argues that viewing siblinghood through the range of disability studies perspectives has the potential to expand this research field and represent new facets of siblings’ identities and lives together.     

Neurodiversity, neurological disability and the public sector: notes on the autism spectrum

Neurodiversity and neurological disabilities reflect rising public sector challenges. Both refer to the same set of medical conditions, but speak to different aspects of diversity affecting the public sector. Neurodiversity describes features of neurological difference associated with individual or community identity that is a more or less elective choice of those experiencing neurological difference. Neurological disability refers to impairment of socially determined major life functions caused by observable, diagnosable difference in an individual's brain. Both neurodiversity and neurological disability produce challenges and opportunities for public programs and societies. This article employs findings from a survey of families with children with autism to examine administrative implications of neurodiversity and neurological disability. The findings suggest that in managing new (and rising) kinds of diversity, public administrators must navigate sharpening divides between interests related to inclusion and those related to identity.     

Israeli policy toward veterans with disabilities: a snapshot and insights of the proposed reform

The policy toward Israeli veterans with disabilities is based on the Invalids Law (Benefits and Rehabilitation) of 1949 . This legislation has served as the foundation for an intricate disability policy, providing benefits and psychosocial services for veterans with disabilities. Sixty two years later, in light of the emergence of a new social model and disability rights conceptualization, there is a need to reevaluate the current legislation and policy. In this article the authors present the essence of the current Israeli disability policy and explore the applications of a proposed reform aimed at adapting the disability policy and services to the new principles of the social model of disability.     

Organic Public Sociology in the Pragmatist Perspective: A Multifaceted Approach

This article argues that American pragmatism provides a model for organic public sociology, defined by Michael Burawoy as the sociologist's direct involvement with a group in a collaborative effort to bring about change, which permits and encourages a combined professional research and activist project. I use my project involving medical licensing and disciplinary boards to illustrate how those projects can be successfully combined. I served as a public member, conducted research, and was an advocate for change.     

The use of focus groups in rehabilitation research

In this article, the authors explore the applications of focus groups to rehabilitation and disability research. Key issues in designing focus group research (e.g., methodological considerations, strategies for conducting focus groups, data analysis procedures) are highlighted. The authors then discuss specific considerations for conducting focus groups with people with disabilities. The article concludes with a review of three research studies in rehabilitation that used a focus group methodology.     

Family support: A review of the literature on families of adolescents with disabilities

ABSTRACT

For all youth, adolescence is a time of great change, marked by multiple transitions. For those with disabilities, these transitions can be especially challenging for the youth and their families. Although families of adolescents with disabilities often require support, it is unclear what types of assistance are most helpful. To understand the responsibilities of and, correspondingly, supports needed for parents and siblings, the authors conducted a comprehensive literature review. Specifically, the authors examined the literature to identify the supports that families provide to their adolescent relatives with disabilities, the impacts of caring for an adolescent relative with a disability, and the assistance that families receive. The authors conclude by discussing implications for future research about family support.     

Understanding emerging disabilities

This research seeks to understand social and environmental characteristics that distinguish emerging from traditional disability populations. We qualitatively analysed how emerging disabilities are understood by persons with disabilities, and used these themes with a public use data source to analyse differences between emerging and traditional disabilities. Our findings first illustrate the difficulty in diagnosing and categorizing emerging disabilities. This is true for both persons who have these conditions and medical personnel who are expected to interpret them. Compared with persons with traditional disabilities, persons with emerging disabilities had less education, greater difficulties with activities of daily living, lower income, less private insurance, more frequent medical care and were less likely to work. The picture emerges of that of an underclass within society. There is an ongoing need for a referral and support system with greater recognition and acceptance of all disabilities, especially within independent living centers and among employers.     

Cripping sexualities: An analytic review of theoretical and empirical writing on the intersection of disabilities and sexualities

This paper provides a review of some of the literature addressing the juncture of disabilities and sexualities and invites sociologists to build on this work and take part in this important intersectional field. First, I discuss the central relevance of an intersectional lens for making sense of the unique experiences of queer people with disabilities who are located at the crossroads of various stratified systems. Then, I discuss some of the many unique challenges that queer disabled people face when exploring their sexuality, establishing relationships, and remaining sexual. The invisibility, marginalization, and discrimination of queer people with disabilities in both queer and disability communities are the focus on the third section. The fourth section speaks to current theoretical dialogues between disability studies and queer theory that have illuminated new pathways for theorizing the intersection of disabilities and sexualities, “cripping” sociological theories, and reimagining disability within sociology. As I demonstrate, this literature is growing; however, myriad exciting opportunities for empirical and theoretical sociological exploration remain and I will conclude with a discussion of possible directions for future research.     

The impact of sight loss in social work practice

This article intends to familiarize the social worker with the various definitions of blindness and sight loss, common obstacles faced by persons with sight loss, general therapeutic issues, when and how to use self-disclosure of a disability, and the ways in which the social worker can use his or her disability, specifically sight-loss, as an instrumental therapeutic tool with clients. Case examples will be provided to illustrate effective interventions and the various ways in which a disability may impact a client or clients. In addition, a brief discussion of various theoretical approaches to understanding disabilities is outlined.     

Life histories as counter-narratives against dominant and negative stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities

The history of intellectual disabilities is largely a story of discrimination and social exclusion portraying people with intellectual disability as abnormal and inferior. This article describes a particular methodological approach to inclusive life history research with a small group of women with intellectual disabilities in Iceland. The article documents how, through a four-year collaborative research process, the life histories became counter-narratives to dominant historical beliefs and stereotypes. In addition to the personal empowerment of the women and the construction of a collective memory, this project has also resulted in public sharing of their stories through speaking up and giving presentations, and thus potentially also changing the historical memory.