Bunbury, S. 2019. Unconscious bias and the medical model: How the social model may hold the key to transformative thinking about disability discrimination. International Journal of Discrimination and the Law. 19 (1), pp. 26-47. https://doi.org/10.1177/1358229118820742
| Title | Unconscious bias and the medical model: How the social model may hold the key to transformative thinking about disability discrimination |
|---|---|
| Type | Journal article |
| Authors | Bunbury, S. |
| Abstract | This article seeks to gain access to a new way to engage with disability discrimination and the legal approaches to it by focusing on the two central models: the medical and social models. It discusses how the law has based the definition of disability on the medical model and suggests that this may strengthen some of the underlying factors that contribute to segregation and discrimination of disabled people. This article argues that the law should now switch focus to the social model, in an attempt to transform people’s attitudes towards disabled people and become a positive force to reduce discrimination. It makes reference to the reasonable adjustment duty contained in sections 20 and 21 Equality Act 2010, the Framework Directive and by way of comparison the American with Disabilities Act 1990. Relevant critical theories are integrated as a means to explore the conception and the hierarchy that exist between able-bodied individuals and disabled individuals. |
| Keywords | Disability, medical model, reasonable adjustments, social model, social exclusion |
| Journal | International Journal of Discrimination and the Law |
| Journal citation | 19 (1), pp. 26-47 |
| ISSN | 1358-2291 |
| Year | 2019 |
| Publisher | Sage |
| Accepted author manuscript | |
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1177/1358229118820742 |
| Web address (URL) | https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1358229118820742 |
| Publication dates | |
| Published | 28 Feb 2019 |