A new book by a Swansea University academic aims to shed light on disabled people and their long-overlooked role in society. Written by cultural and social historian Professor David Turner, Disability: A History of Resistance presents the history of modern Britain in a fresh way, placing disabled people at the centre of the narrative for the first time.
Released to critical acclaim, the book has been named The Independent’s non-fiction book of the month. It explores the experiences of disabled people in Britain from the 16th century to the present day. At a time when disability rights are under threat like never before, Professor Turner believes the actions of disabled people and their allies in past eras can offer a path to a more inclusive society today.
He said: “While disabled people have faced numerous forms of oppression, they have always found ways to push back against them. The book puts the current challenges facing disabled people into context and shows that the activism we associate with the modern disability rights movement has a much longer history than we often assume.”
He explained that the book took an inclusive approach to the past to reflect the ethos of history degree programmes at Swansea, where students are taught that everybody’s history matters. He added: “My book is inspired by the many conversations I’ve had with students taking my modules. Despite improvements in disability rights, disabled people in Britain today still face discrimination and negative attitudes, so the need to share my research on disabled people’s histories with a wider audience feels especially urgent. I hope my book brings new audiences to an important but neglected aspect of Britain’s past.”
Published by Bodley Head, Disability is available now.
