Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability Oppression and Empowerment (Hardcover)

by James I. Charlton (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Charlton, executive vice president of Chicago's Access Living, one of the largest centers for independent living in the United States, has lectured extensively on the disability rights movement. Here, he analyzes the many factors including political and economic power structures that collectively contribute to disability oppression in both developed and developing countries. He also examines what the Civil Rights and feminist movements have taught disability rights advocates. He supports his ideas by extensively quoting and discussing the works of philosophers, economists, sociologists, and political activists. However, the most useful evidence comes from the disability rights activists themselves. Charlton interviewed approximately 50 of them from the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe, transcribing much of what they said. His introduction includes a detailed scope note and definitions of terms used, and the well-developed endnotes are also helpful. Recommended for large sociology and political science collections and subject specialists.?Ximena Chrisagis, Fordham Health Sciences Lib., Wright State Univ., Dayton, Ohio
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"Focusing on the everday life of people with disabilities, [Charlton] argues that barriers to independent living are embedded in the larger social and economic environment. His discussion is buttressed . . . by interviews with disability rights activists from the Americas, Asia, South Africa, and Europe. It is their experiences that make Charlton's arguments and policy suggestions come to life."--"Choice

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 213 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (March 27, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520207955
• ISBN-13: 978-0520207950
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,786,739 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for anyone into disability empowerment, January 3, 1999

By	Cindy McCoy ([e-mail]) (USA) - See all my reviews

"The oppression of 500 million people with disabilities is rooted in the political-economic and cultural dime sions of everyday life", says James Charlton in Nothing About Us Without Us. Calling his book part descriptive, part conversational and wholly argumentative, the author observes how oppression and empowerment affect and change individuals and the community. Charlton's interviews with 45 international disability rights activists and his own observations as an activist recognize the essential theme of the disability rights movement: a demand for self control and conditions resulting from the lack of it. The author's threefold mission challenges existing epistomologies and ontologies of disability. With a close eye on Marxist theory, Charlton explains existing practices and suggests new foundations, structures and contexts in which to think about the relationships and conditions of oppression and resistance and to understand and support disability rights. Excellent

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book on Disability Issues, August 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability Oppression and Empowerment (Paperback)

This is a well written, thoroughly researched work dealing with the treatment of disabled people in various cultures. The book explores the impact of religious institutions, charities, schools and various other institutions on how the disabled are treated. It also does a remarkable job of explaining how consciousness needs to change in order for progress to be made. It is an extremely thought provoking work which raises many issues. I recommend this book to anyone who may some day be disabled - which is any of us.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, August 10, 2002

By	Mark Sherry (Toledo OH, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability Oppression and Empowerment (Paperback)

I'd thoroughly recommend this book. It provides a global overview of the disability rights movement, and includes interviews with many activists from different countries. I found it easy to read, and thoroughly interesting.