OA

Disability History

Disability History: a review essay

In this essay the authors discuss the main trends in disability history in the last five years, and review a selection of relevant publications. After a short introduction to the field and to the Dutch context, they show first how disability historians have conceptualised disability as a social construct. Second, they argue that recent disability histories from below have been enriched by intersectional and transnational approaches. Historians increasingly study the intersection of disability with, for instance, race, and look beyond national borders. Moreover, disability historians increasingly question and historicize Anglo-American models of disability. The authors consider these trends as positive contributions to the field. They conclude by arguing that disability history could be further enriched by intersections with other disciplines, by methodological differentiation, and with a broader application of the concept of disability as an analytical tool. The authors advocate for disability to be added to every historian’s toolbox.