An intersectional approach to understanding and working with disabled communities

Carmen Yau

Chapter 29 in Handbook on Intersectionality and Social Work, 2026, pp 377-388 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter introduces an intersectional approach to suggest how we address disability in a disability-affirmative manner. An intersectional approach addresses the heterogeneity of disabled communities to acknowledge how social categorising practice fails to recognise the individuality of disabled people. This chapter starts with conceptualisations and models of disability (i.e., medical model, social model, and human rights model). Models of disability serve as a lens to shape our concepts, ideology, and practice of disability. These models fail to recognise disability as a political identity as well as other marginalised identities of a disabled individual. As a result, these models exacerbate inequalities and marginalisation of disabled people. These models may perpetuate ableism and marginalisation in social work education, research, and practice. The chapter concludes with how an intersectional approach enhances the access, representation, and leadership of the disabled community to optimise the inclusiveness and equity of social services and policy.

Keywords: Disability; Models of Disability; Human Rights (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035324453
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