Disability and International Development: A Guide for Students and Practitioners

308 Pages·2023·4.721 MB·English

by  David Cobley

Praise for the frst edition
“Disability and International Development is a major contribution towards
making the human rights of persons with disabilities, especially the right
to be included in international cooperation, a reality. Cobley has provided
a work that provides both a critical reading of disability and development
theory and is immediately applicable in the concrete work of policymaking
and programme implementation.”
—Stephen Meyers, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Law, Society and Justice/
Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington, USA
“David Cobley has written an excellent introductory textbook on disabil-
ity and international development that provides mandatory reading for all
students studying development studies and disability studies. It positively
combines a very good academic grounding in this ever-expanding feld with
excellent case studies that illustrate the practicalities of living with a disabil-
ity in developing countries.”
—Raymond Lang, Senior Research Fellow, Leonard Cheshire Disability
and Inclusive Development Centre, University College London, UK
“This book provides a great tool to generate interdisciplinary dialogue
regarding the relevance of disability across sectors for inclusive, sustainable
development. For all students, academics and researchers, the book tackles
terminology and theories that inform approaches to inclusive policies and
programmes. It addresses the complexity of service provision across sectors,
which demonstrates the multiple transitions experienced by persons with
disabilities and their families.”
—Theresa Lorenzo, Professor and Programme Convenor for Disability
Studies Doctoral Programme, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Excerpt of review in Disability and Society, Routledge
“[A]n excellent introduction to the topic especially for those familiar with
only one of the felds concerned: disability or development. This book is the
perfect launch pad for students and practitioners who work in only one of
the felds and would like to work in, or promote, disability inclusive devel-
opment. Cobley brings together various literatures from disability studies
and covers a wide range of topics, ranging from western disability models to
international and regional treaties governing disability rights, health, edu-
cation, employment, disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) and the dis-
ability movement, the disability–poverty nexus, and also less-c overed topics
like disasters. It ends with a very important subject: researching disability
and the importance of enabling methods. Throughout the book, the author
cites examples from diferent parts of the world, including Asia, Africa, the
Americas, as well as Western countries. The book does what it sets out to
do and what it claims to do in the title: it guides students and early prac-
titioners by giving a general overview of the salient aspects of disability in
development.”
—Lara Bezzina, Independent Researcher, Malta
Disability and International
Development
Disability and International Development provides a comprehensive overview
of the key themes in the feld of disability and development, including issues
around identity, poverty, disability rights, education, health, livelihoods,
disaster recovery and approaches to researching disability.
As disability becomes increasingly prominent within the international
development agenda, the need for governments and development actors
to have a basic understanding of disability issues, as they seek to support
disabled people to access their rights to full participation in society, has
never been more acute. Drawing on a range of examples taken from around
the world, this book introduces readers to the key topics and theories
surrounding disability and development. The second edition of this popular
textbook includes increased coverage of environmental accessibility,
intersectionality, and refections on the disproportionate impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic on disabled people and the prospects for change in a
post-pandemic environment.
Written in an accessible and engaging style to suit both students and
practitioners, the book includes a wide range of refection exercises,
discussion questions and further reading suggestions, making it the perfect
introduction to disability and international development.
David Cobley is Lecturer in Disability and Development, University of
Birmingham, UK.
Rethinking Development
Rethinking Development ofers accessible and thought-provoking overviews
of contemporary topics in international development and aid. Providing
original empirical and analytical insights, the books in this series push think-
ing in new directions by challenging current conceptualizations and develop-
ing new ones.
This is a dynamic and inspiring series for all those engaged with today’s
debates surrounding development issues, whether they be students, schol-
ars, policy makers and practitioners internationally. These interdisciplinary
books provide an invaluable resource for discussion in advanced undergrad-
uate and postgraduate courses in development studies as well as in anthro-
pology, economics, politics, geography, media studies and sociology.
Development with Dignity
Self-determination, Localization, and the End to Poverty
Tom G. Palmer and Matt Warner
Arts and Culture in Global Development Practice
Expression, Identity and Empowerment
Edited by Ann Holt and Cindy Maguire
COVID-19 and Foreign Aid
Nationalism and Global Development in a New World Order
Edited by Viktor Jakupec, Max Kelly and Michael de Percy
Critical Approaches to Heritage for Development
Edited by Charlotte Cross and John Giblin
Disability and International Development
A Guide for Students and Practitioners
David Cobley
For more information about this series, please visit: www.routledge.com/
Rethinking-Development/book-series/RDVPT
Disability and International
Development
A Guide for Students and Practitioners
David Cobley
Second Edition
Designed cover image: FG Trade
Second edition published 2023
by Routledge
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and by Routledge
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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa
business
© 2023 David Cobley
The right of David Cobley to be identifed as author of this work
has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identifcation and
explanation without intent to infringe.
First edition published by Routledge 2018
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-032-18748-8 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-18747-1 pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-25603-8 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003256038
Typeset in Sabon
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
For Joanna, Benjamin and Jason

Contents
List of fgures, tables, boxes and case studies xvii
Foreword xix
Preface xxii
Acknowledgements xxiii
List of abbreviations xxiv
1 Introduction 1
Terminology 2
Book structure and chapter summaries 4
Chapter 2: understanding, defning and measuring
disability 4
Chapter 3: disability, identity and shared experiences of
poverty 4
Chapter 4: international agreements on disability 5
Chapter 5: disabled people’s organisations and the
international disability rights movement 5
Chapter 6: environmental accessibility 6
Chapter 7: disability, health and rehabilitation 6
Chapter 8: access to education 6
Chapter 9: pathways to economic participation 7
Chapter 10: disability and disasters 7
Chapter 11: disability and the COVID-19 pandemic 8
Chapter 12: researching disability 8
2 Understanding, defning and measuring disability 10
Individual models of disability 10
Religious model 11
Welfare model 11
Medical model 12
Social model of disability 13