The Denial of Self and Belonging: Exploring Disability Identity and Society Using Classical Sociological Theory

Abstract

Researchers of disability studies define disability identity as intertwining disability with a sense of connection to the disability community. However, with continued social and spatial barriers, people with disabilities may not always form a disability identity, resulting in issues that may span throughout the lifespan, ranging from ostracization, a decline in psychological wellness, and difficulties collectively pushing back against stigma. As contemporary academia and society expand their documentation of the challenging experiences people with disabilities undergo regarding identity formation and community belonging, it poses a unique opportunity to explore the nature of disability during modern social analysis. Therefore, outlining Harriet Martineau's work as a deaf female social analyst presents space to examine George Herbert Mead’s hope for a “universal society” critically through the insights of Charlotte Perkins Gilman and W.E.B. Du Bois to address how to create a society that is equitable and diverse.