Misfitting and social practice theory: incorporating disability into the performance and (re)enactment of social practices

Abstract

This paper applies social practice theories, which focus on the pattern of everyday activities, such as studying at university or playing music. Some theorists analyse practices by looking at the different elements from which they are formed, and that has helped us to gain insights into how disabled people can get included and excluded from ordinary activities. We focus firstly on common strategies for adjusting practices, namely providing another social actor and allowing more time. Secondly, we turn to ways in which social practices can be re-designed for everyone. Thirdly, we explore practices in a more restricted and 'specialised' setting, such as a centre for disabled people. We conclude that social practice theory has not given a full account of the effect of exclusions. Disabled people's inclusion can change the shape of a practice, but it is important to recognise and embrace such changes in the mainstream of social life. Points of interest• Social practices are things we all do, like shopping or cooking or playing music. • Some social practices are hard for some disabled people to take part in. We call that 'exclusion' . • But things can change. Disabled people can be part of that change, by showing others how things can be done differently. • The UK has a law called the 'Equality Act' (2010) which means public services like hospitals should include disabled people. They have to adjust the way they do things. • Social practices should not just be tweaked for a disabled person.They should be changed so everyone is included.

A social practice theory approach to exploring the ubiquity of quizzes in dementia care settings

“…We saw here that the shape and meaning of quizzes as a practice could be altered in situ by what materials are involved, and by staff members and people living with dementia themselves. Through their participation, staff and people living with dementia have helped to widen the scope of quizzes as a social practice, who they recruit from and to shift (or at least broaden) some underlying meanings; when people identifying as 'disabled' take part in activities they may disrupt the way they are normatively done (see Williams et al, 2021). As quizzes for people with dementia continue to be reshaped and reimagined, it raises the question of how far a social practice such as quizzes can be reshaped and reimagined before it shifts to become something wholly new (Hui et al, 2017: 56).…”

“…Getting to know potential participants well also helped with understanding the way they communicated and the particular kinds of support they might need to express their preferences. For further description of the data collection practices and an overview of this research, see Webb et al (2020b) and Williams et al (2021). Participants were people living with dementia and staff members who attended memory cafes, activity groups and day centres in three areas of England.…”