- Many supports of this approach often use the phrase “bring the body back in” 
- From this perspective, disability should be understood as restrictions caused by the interaction between social barriers and physical capabilities 

Other Medical Sociology Perspectives 

- Michael Bury argues that impairment does cause disability where the source of the impairment can be anything from genetic disorders, disease, and active pathology to accidents or trauma
- Many people who take this view admit some impairments have social causes but maintain that the main cause restrictions are someone’s physical limitations

University of Virginia, Charlottesville

Disabilities have been studied and defined through many lenses over the years. The most popular of these perspectives are the medical model of disability and the social model of disability. An important lens may have been overshadowed over the years - the social relational perspective. 

How is Disability Understood? An Examination of Sociological Approaches

Thomas, C. (2004). How is disability understood? an examination of sociological approaches. Disability &amp; Society, 19(6), 569–583. https://doi.org/10.1080/0968759042000252506 

How is Disability Understood? An Examination of Sociological Approaches References

Scholars would argue there are two main approaches to defining disability

- The first approach is the idea that disability is created through social inequality, oppression, and exclusion (often called disability studies)
- The other, a sub-category called the ‘sociology of chronic illness and disability’, is the idea that disability is a result of illness and impairment which then leads to suffering and social disadvantage (often used by people studying medical sociology)
- These differing approaches are not often used in conversation with one another and scholars tend to stick to their approach rather than combine aspects


 Defining Disability from a Sociological Perspective 

- One of the co-founders of the Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation (UPIAS)
- They formed this group based on principles that would eventually become core tenants of the social model of disability 
- They fought against the common understanding that disability was an individual issue and championed the idea that it is society and its values that create and impose disabilities onto people
- The social model of disability is often linked to Finkelstein’s materialistic conception of disability

Vic Finkelstein’s Contributions to the Sociology of Disability

Defining Disability from a Medical Sociology Perspective

The social relational model has been lost in the research in disability studies over time. The social relational model does not say that all impairments are socially inflicted, but attempts to define disablism along the same lines as sexism and homophobia. If the field could break away from the simple framing of disability equals restriction of activity a lot more fruitful research could be done.

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