Constructions of vulnerability in comparative perspective: Scottish protection policies and the trouble with "adults at risk"

This paper places Scottish adult support and protection (ASP) policy in the context of debates about the nature of 'vulnerability' and its usefulness as a defining concept in law and social policy. It examines the construction of 'adults at risk' in ASP policy, using a comparison with the construction of children in Scottish child protection policy, on the one hand, and women in Scottish domestic abuse policy, on the other, to illuminate the nature of the vulnerability that ASP considers itself to be addressing. It then problematises this construction, drawing both on the social model of disability and on an ethic of care. It concludes that current ASP policy remains underpinned by unhelpful assumptions about disabled people, older people and people with mental or physical health problems. A more inclusive understanding of vulnerability would be more empowering to these people and others, in policies concerned with mistreatment and abuse

Disability, gene therapy and eugenics - a challenge to John Harris

This article challenges the view of disability presented by Harris in his article, "Is gene therapy a form of eugenics?"(1) It is argued that his definition of disability rests on an individual model of disability, where disability is regarded as a product of biological determinism or "personal tragedy" in the individual. Within disability theory this view is often called "the medical model" and it has been criticised for not being able to deal with the term "disability", but only with impairment. The individual model of disability presupposes a necessary causal link between a certain condition in the individual and disablement. The shortcomings of such a view of disability are stated and it is argued that in order to have an adequate ethical discourse on gene therapy perspectives from disability research need to be taken into consideration. Key Words: Disability theory • gene therapy • eugenic

National Legislations on Inclusive Education and Special Educational Needs of People with Autism in the Perspective of Article 24 of the CRPD

Education is vital not only in itself, but also for participating in all areas of social activity People with autism have often suffered and, in some parts of the world, are still suffering from a pervasive denial of the right to education because of their special needs. The goal of inclusive education is to fulfill the right to education by adapting education to the needs of persons with disabilities, as established by Article 24 of the CRPD. Realizing inclusive education is high on the agenda of EU Member States, though the policy is approached from differing perspectives and many challenges remain reflecting gaps in implementation of the law