Voices from the Edge: Narratives about the Americans with Disabilities Act [Paperback]

Ruth O'Brien (Editor), Rogers M. Smith (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195156870 | ISBN-13: 978-0195156874 | Publication Date: January 15, 2004

Fear, rage, courage, discrimination. These are facts of everyday life for many Americans with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made working, traveling, and communicating easier for many individuals. But what recourse do individuals have when enforcement of the law is ambiguous or virtually nonexistent? And how will its changing definition affect individuals' lives-as well as their legal actions-in the future? What is life like in post-ADA America?

Voices from the Edge seeks to challenge the mindset of those who would deny equal protection to the disabled, while providing informative analysis of the intent and application of the ADA for those who wish to learn more about disability rights. Giving voice to the many types of discrimination the disabled face--at a small Southern College, in the Library of Congress, on a New York City sidewalk--while illustrating the personal stakes underlying legal disputes over the ADA, this collection offers unparalleled insight into the lives behind the law.

Contributors:

Joan Aleshire on disability and the eye of the beholder.
Achim Nowak on disclosing HIV.
C.G.K. Atkins on being an academic liability.
Stephen Kuusisto on hope without the tenure lifeboat.
Leonard Kriegel on wheelchairs vs. NYC sidewalks.
John Hockenberry on trying one's luck at public transit.
Joan Tollifson on a license to drive disabled.
Shawn Casey O'Brien on the blue beacon of accessibility.
Jean Stewart on sign language in the ER.
Ruth O'Brien on everything you wanted to know about the ADA.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A fascinating series of personal accounts a rich and multifaceted overview of disability rights law, and of the experience of living with a disability in the contemporary United States. Voices from the Edge should be of particular interest to students in law, public policy, political science, and disability studies, all of whom would benefit from this mulitfaceted approach to disability and discrimination."--The Law and Politics Book Review

About the Author

Ruth O'Brien is Professor of Government at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Chair of the Political Science M.A./PH.D Program at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. She is author of Crippled Justice: The History of Modern Disability Policy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (January 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195156870
• ISBN-13: 978-0195156874
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #196,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > Law > Specialties > Disability
  • #60 in Books > Law > Constitutional Law > Civil Rights

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Make time for this book, May 27, 2005

By 

Red Gimp (Maryland USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Voices from the Edge: Narratives about the Americans with Disabilities Act (Hardcover)

As an advocate for rights of persons with disabilities, I think I've heard, seen or read it all. This book is powerful and made me question how much I know and how much more I need to learn about my own cause. Dr. Brown's and Marta Russell's writing are powerful.

Buy at least 2 copies of Voices from the Edge, because you'll want to keep one (it will be filled with margin notes) and you need to send a copy to someone as a gift

Thanks for this read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars voices from the Edge: Narratives about the Americans with Disabilities Act, January 11, 2007

By 

John G. Coffey (Garland, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Voices from the Edge: Narratives about the Americans with Disabilities Act (Paperback)

I did not give five stars because I was mainly interested in researching on the discrimination by disability information and what methods of arguments I could use in making my lawsuit case.

The book was good in showing how far the American Disabilities Act would go in applying to various cases of discrimination that can be claimed. I will use it as a reference book for further investigations of the ADA law.