Ideology, disability, and inclusion: a polemical discourse

Abstract

Abstract This paper seeks to argue that the life experiences of people with intellectual disabilities in the fields of education, employment, and residential care in the UK are adversely affected by the ideological position taken by the following three groups: (1) a small but readily identifiable group of academics (e.g., in Disability Studies Departments); (2) collective advocacy schemes purportedly representing people with intellectual disabilities (e.g., People First); and (3) major disability charities (e.g., Mencap). The main contention of this paper is that the uncritical adoption and propagation of the inclusionist agenda by these groups has led to the imposition of programs that further disadvantage an already disadvantaged population.