Social Construction of Social Hierarchies

Distinguishing Individual vs. Social Models of Difference

  • Learning Goals:
    • Distinguish individual models of difference from social models.
    • Provide examples of how differential treatment socially constructs social groups.
    • Identify ways a social issue socially constructs differences between social groups.

Social Construction

  • Social groups are socially constructed.
  • Groups may seem natural, but are created by differential treatment.
  • Differences are made significant by treating people differently based on those differences.
  • A difference is a difference if it makes a difference.
  • Differential treatment makes groups meaningful.
    • Example: Ableism creates disability.
    • Discrimination makes differences meaningful.

Social Construction of Ability and Disability

  • Why do some groups want to construct social groups in certain ways?
  • Why use certain identity projects and not others?
  • Who benefits from socially constructed differences?

Video Clip: Zootopia

  • Questions to consider:
    • What seems to be the problem?
    • What seems to be causing the problem?
    • What might be some solutions?
    • What might be another perspective on this situation?

Medical Model of Disability

  • Some people are different from the norm; that's the problem.
  • Solution: Fix those people or make them as normal as possible.
  • If they can't be made normal, put them in an institution.
  • Problem: The disabled individual.
  • Medical Model Solutions:
    • Cure for the problem.
    • Care by medical professionals.
    • Social workers.
    • Hospitals.
    • Special Schools.
    • Sheltered employment (low-skilled work).

Social Model of Disability

  • Distinguishes between impairment and ableism.
  • Impairment: Physical, emotional, cognitive, and/or developmental limitations or variations from the norm.
    • Example: Inability to use legs.
  • Ableism: Material and social conditions in the world that restrict people with impairments.
    • Example: Lack of wheelchair access.

Medical vs. Social Model (Cartoon Example)

  • Woman in wheelchair unable to enter building with stairs.
    • Medical Model: Her impairment is the problem; cure her or give her prosthetics.
    • Social Model: The stairs are the problem; build a ramp.

Social Model: Problem and Solution

  • Problem: Ableism – structures, policies, and attitudes that prevent full participation.
  • Solution: Fix society so all people can fully participate, regardless of differences.
  • Focuses on prejudice, discrimination, deprivation of rights, lack of access to transportation, buildings, social services, education, and jobs.

Video: Social Model of Disability (UK Activists)

  • Social model challenges the idea that being disabled is the problem.
  • Impairments impact lives, but the world disables people.
  • Disability is caused by inaccessible environments and attitudes.
  • Social model allows disabled people to form a community and advocate for change.
  • Demands for lifts, accessible signage, and tackling inequality in schools and workplaces.

Demonstration: Snapping Economy

  • Pretend: New noise energy business where jobs depend on snapping fingers.
    • Rules: Snap must make noise and be in time with the beat.
    • Unemployable: Inability to snap or stay on beat.
  • Goal: To show how society can create more disabled people without changing the individuals.

Snapping Exercise and Results

  • Week one, two, and three of employment.
  • Checking in: Were you able to keep the beat? If not, you are considered disabled in this economy.
  • Demonstrates how easy it is to increase the amount of disabled people just by changing a simple rule.

Medical Model Solutions (Snapping Economy)

  • The medical model suggests that the problem is some people are different from the norm, and the solution is to fix them.
  • Medicine: Drugs to snap faster or deal with pain.
  • Rhythm training.
  • Finger workouts.
  • Surgery to improve wrists.
  • Prosthetics (bionic fingers).

Social Model Solutions (Snapping Economy)

  • How to make the situation less disabling rather than fixing individuals.
  • Slow down the pace.
  • Allow other ways of making noise (clapping, tapping).
  • Let people work at different paces.
  • Improve the machine's noise sensitivity.

Social Construction of Disability and Ability Demonstrated

  • Changing rules of society can change who counts as a member of a group.
  • Increasing/decreasing the number of disabled people can occur by changing the pace of work.
  • Changing the rules in society can change what it means to be a member of that group.

Applying Social Model to Other Social Issues

  • Frame the problem as oppression, structures, policies, and attitudes that prevent full participation.
  • Fix society so people can fully participate rather than expecting people adapt to an exclusive society.
  • Consider how your social issue increases or decreases differences between social groups.

Review of Learning Goals

  • Distinguish between individual and social models of difference.
  • Provide examples of how differential treatment socially constructs social groups.
  • Identify ways a social issue socially constructs differences between groups.