Walking the talk: towards a more inclusive field of disability studies

Opini, Bathseba

doi:10.1080/13603116.2015.1073800

Cited by 8 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…An African model of disability that encapsulates ubuntu is correlated to how Africans have illustrated this social ethics of a common humanity in their grassroots struggles against oppression and disablement in the 20th century (Ettang 2014 ). This illustrates how disability activism and research in Africa can be understood as wider in focus than encountered in the Global North (Chataika et al 2015 ; Mji et al 2011 ; Opini 2016 ). In terms of learning from practices and discourses of decolonisation and setting differing disability agendas, Africans have their own histories and examples, to take as epistemological and ontological models to inform their understandings of disability, even in transnational and hybrid forms (Comaroff & Comaroff 2012 ; de Santos 2015 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…The literature about disability and decolonisation in disability studies has primarily been shaped by academics located in a minority world or the Global North (i.e. Connell 2011 ; Grech 2015 ; Meekosha 2011 ), even though this is slowly changing (Mji et al 2011 ; Opini 2016 ). Despite this state of affairs, decolonisation does not have to be epistemologically nor ontologically located within the imaginaries of elite northern academics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Southern African scholars and disability activists have argued that ubuntu or unhu is a part of their world view – a philosophy of shared collective humanness and responsibility (i.e. Chataika et al 2015 ; Mji et al 2011 ; Opini 2016 ). I will elucidate what ubuntu means and then examine how it connects to social action.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Practices and discourses of ubuntu: Implications for an African model of disability?

Berghs

2017

African Journal of Disability

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BackgroundSouthern African scholars and activists working in disability studies have argued that ubuntu or unhu is a part of their world view.ObjectivesThinking seriously about ubuntu, as a shared collective humanness or social ethics, means to examine how Africans have framed a struggle for this shared humanity in terms of decolonisation and activism.MethodThree examples of applications of ubuntu are given, with two mainly linked to making explicit umaka. Firstly, ubuntu is linked to making visible the invisible inequalities for a common humanity in South Africa. Secondly, it becomes correlated to the expression of environmental justice in West and East African countries.ResultsAn African model of disability that encapsulates ubuntu is correlated to how Africans have illustrated a social ethics of a common humanity in their grassroots struggles against oppression and disablement in the 20th century. Ubuntu also locates disability politically within the wider environment and practices of sustainability which are now important to the post-2105 agenda, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the (UN) Sustainable Development Goals linked to climate change.ConclusionA different kind of political action linked to social justice seems to be evolving in line with ubuntu. This has implications for the future of disability studies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Practices and discourses of ubuntu: Implications for an African model of disability?

Berghs

2017

African Journal of Disability

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“…An African model of disability that encapsulates ubuntu is closely related to disability activism, decolonisation, violence, and oppression (Berghs et al 2019;Mji et al 2011;Opini 2016). Berghs emphasizes the effect education, employment, corruption, violence, and poverty have on disability activism.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Obuntu Bulamu’ – Development and Testing of an Indigenous Intervention for Disability Inclusion in Uganda

Bannink¹,

Nalugya²,

Kawesa³

et al. 2020

Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research

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There is need to learn from indigenous knowledge and concepts when studying disability and inclusion in resource-constrained settings.We describe the development and testing of the 'Obuntu bulamu' intervention, a peer-to-peer support disability inclusion intervention, starting from indigenous interpretations of belonging and humanity. 'Obuntu bulamu' is an accepted and consistent behaviour that signifies a shared set of values that promote well-being, togetherness, and unity.The intervention was co-created and tested by a team of children, parents, teachers, disability rehabilitation workers, and academics in Uganda. It consists of training sessions, peer support meetings, and activities for children, parents, and teachers around the themes 'peer support', 'disability', and 'belonging'. Through qualitative participatory methods the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention was evaluated with 64 children, 64 parents, and 33 teachers in 10 communities in Wakiso district, Central Uganda.

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“…The literature about disability and decolonisation in disability studies has primarily been shaped by academics located in a minority world or the Global North (i.e. Connell 2011;Grech 2015;Meekosha 2011), even though this is slowly changing (Mji et al 2011;Opini 2016). Despite this state of affairs, decolonisation does not have to be epistemologically nor ontologically located within the imaginaries of elite northern academics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Practices and discourses of ubuntu: Implications for an African model of disability?

Berghs

2017

Afr. j. disabil.

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Background: Southern African scholars and activists working in disability studies have argued that ubuntu or unhu is a part of their world view. Objectives: Thinking seriously about ubuntu, as a shared collective humanness or social ethics, means to examine how Africans have framed a struggle for this shared humanity in terms of decolonisation and activism. Method: Three examples of applications of ubuntu are given, with two mainly linked to making explicit umaka. Firstly, ubuntu is linked to making visible the invisible inequalities for a common humanity in South Africa. Secondly, it becomes correlated to the expression of environmental justice in West and East African countries. Results: An African model of disability that encapsulates ubuntu is correlated to how Africans have illustrated a social ethics of a common humanity in their grassroots struggles against oppression and disablement in the 20th century. Ubuntu also locates disability politically within the wider environment and practices of sustainability which are now important to the post-2105 agenda, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the (UN) Sustainable Development Goals linked to climate change. Conclusion: A different kind of political action linked to social justice seems to be evolving in line with ubuntu. This has implications for the future of disability studies.

show abstract

Walking the talk: towards a more inclusive field of disability studies

Cited by 8 publications

References 33 publications

Practices and discourses of ubuntu: Implications for an African model of disability?

Practices and discourses of ubuntu: Implications for an African model of disability?

‘Obuntu Bulamu’ – Development and Testing of an Indigenous Intervention for Disability Inclusion in Uganda

Practices and discourses of ubuntu: Implications for an African model of disability?

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