Disability Studies

Close your eyes and get ready to see the world in a new and more positive way. As a child in Toronto, Molly Burke was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa and became completely sightless as a teenager. Now an award-winning YouTube star and global influencer, Molly shares what it’s like to be a purple-haired, pink-obsessed fashion and makeup lover in a seeing world. She speaks with authenticity and candor about how she tackles the preconceived notions we have around blindness; Molly has made it her mission to make us see her - and ourselves- in a wholly empowering way.

When Ashley Shew became a self-described "hard-of-hearing chemobrained amputee with Crohn's disease and tinnitus," there was no returning to "normal." Suddenly well-meaning people called her an "inspiration" while grocery shopping or viewed her as a needy recipient of technological wizardry. Most disabled people don't want what the abled assume they want—nor are they generally asked. In vibrant prose, Shew shows how we can create better narratives and more accessible futures by drawing from the insights of the cross-disability community.

In this collection of essays, Lambda Literary Award-winning writer and longtime activist and performance artist Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha explores the politics and realities of disability justice, a movement that centers the lives and leadership of sick and disabled queer, trans, Black, and brown people, with knowledge and gifts for all. Care Work is a mapping of access as radical love, a celebration of the work that sick and disabled queer/people of color are doing to find each other and to build power and community.

Does your relationship with God ever feel like it’s built for someone else’s brain? You love Jesus, but the traditional rhythms of faith, like sitting still for hour-long quiet times, memorizing Scripture through intense focus, or navigating overwhelming church lobbies, leave you feeling discouraged, exhausted, and full of doubt. You’ve likely faced the stinging setbacks of being told your executive dysfunction is a "lack of discipline" or that your sensory overload is a "lack of faith." You are tired of masking before the world, and you are terrified that you are somehow failing God ...

The first book to cover the entirety of disability history, from pre-1492 to the present Disability is not only the story of someone we love or the story of whom we may become; rather it is undoubtedly the story of our nation. Covering the entirety of US history from pre-1492 to the present, A...

First published in 1999, the groundbreaking Exile and Pride is essential to the history and future of disability politics. Eli Clare's revelatory writing about his experiences as a white disabled genderqueer activist/writer established him as one of the leading writers on the intersections of queerness and disability and permanently changed the landscape of disability politics and queer liberation.

Disability activist and social media influencer Melissa Blake offers a frank, illuminating memoir and a call to action for disabled people and allies. In the summer of 2019, journalist Melissa Blake penned an op-ed for CNN Opinion. A conservative pundit caught wind of it, mentioning Blake’s...

Prison abolition and decarceration are increasingly debated, but it is often without taking into account the largest exodus of people from carceral facilities in the 20th century: the closure of disability institutions and psychiatric hospitals. Decarcerating Disability provides a much-needed corrective, combining a genealogy of deinstitutionalization with critiques of the current prison system.

Unlock the Secrets to Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits! Are you nearing retirement and feeling overwhelmed by Social Security? Social Security Essentials is here to help. In this easy-to-read guide, financial expert Jeff Kikel walks you through everything you need to know to make the best decisions about your Social Security benefits. What You’ll Learn: When to file for Social Security to maximize your benefits How your filing age impacts your monthly checks Spousal and survivor benefits—and how to get the most from them The truth about taxes on Social Security Special rules for...

Step into the empowering world of "Dyslexia Didn't Stop Me" with Dr. Marita Kinney, esteemed author, e-Learning educator, and owner of Pure Thoughts Publishing. Drawing from her own journey and expertise, Dr. Kinney unveils the often overlooked truths about dyslexia and celebrates the hidden strengths it brings. In this captivating book, Dr. Kinney shares her personal experiences and how she has been affected by dyslexia. Through heartfelt anecdotes and uplifting insights, she showcases the resilience and determination that define those living with dyslexia. As a leading figure in e-...

A former Social Security Administration (SSA) attorney goes behind the scenes to show you why it’s so difficult to win a Social Security Disability case. Working as an attorney advisor for over 10 years, the author drafted and reviewed thousands of disability decisions. During this time, he learned why the system is stacked against the claimant throughout the process. After he left SSA, he wanted to make this knowledge available to everyone.

Connected at the chest by a band of flesh, Chang and Eng Bunker toured the United States and the world from the 1820s to the 1870s, placing themselves and their extraordinary bodies on exhibit as "freaks of nature". More famously known as the Siamese twins, they eventually settled in rural North Carolina, married two white sisters, became slave owners, and fathered 21 children between them. More than a biography of the twins, this is a study of 19th-century American culture and society that reveals how Americans projected onto the twins their own hopes and fears.

In Case Studies in Disability Driven Innovation, Robert Ludke reveals how disability-driven innovation is transforming the global economy while creating lasting value for society. Through compelling stories of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and innovators with disabilities, he demonstrates that the mindset of disability inclusion spurs innovation and creativity, drives market opportunities, and generates sustainable profits.

Live your best, unashamedly unmasked Autistic life with this invaluable resource featuring tools for navigating friendships, family, work, and love, from the author of Unmasking Autism. “Unmasking for Life should be read by not only autistic people but their loved ones, to ensure they...

Leading pain expert Dr. Rachel Zoffness bridges the gap between medicine and psychology to get to the heart of understanding—and treating—pain—it's The Body Keeps the Score for chronic pain. Every one of us will experience pain, be it back pain, the pain of childbirth, or living in an...

Disability Politics and Theory, a historical exploration of the concept of disability, covers the late nineteenth century to the present, introducing the main models of disability theory and politics: eugenics, medicalization, rehabilitation, charity, rights and social and disability justice. A.J. Withers examines when, how and why new categories of disability are created and describes how capitalism benefits from and enforces disabled people’s oppression.

Discover the tools and confidence to advocate for yourself in every area of life—education, employment, healthcare, and community. This supportive guide offers clear steps to build your self-advocacy skills, ensuring your voice is heard, respected, and central to your journey toward independence and full participation.

A memoir-in-essays from disability advocate and creator of the Instagram account @sitting_pretty Rebekah Taussig, processing a lifetime of memories to paint a beautiful, nuanced portrait of a body that looks and moves differently than most. Growing up as a paralyzed girl during the 90s and early...

From one of America's most celebrated psychiatrists, the book that has taught generations of healers why healing the sick is about more than just diagnosing their illness. Modern medicine treats sick patients like broken machines -- figure out what is physically wrong, fix it, and send the...

An approachable guide to being an informed, compassionate, and socially conscious person today—from discussions of race, gender, and sexual orientation to disability, class, and beyond—from critically-acclaimed historian, educator, and author Blair Imani. We live in a time where it has never...