Ableist Rhetoric: How We Know, Value, and See Disability

Ableism, a type of discrimination that favors "able" bodies over those seen as less capable, is a pervasive and systematic issue in Western culture. James L. Cherney's book Ableist Rhetoric explores how ableism is learned and transmitted through language, revealing three rhetorical norms that influence society. He argues that a rhetorical model of disability is needed to challenge ableism's epistemic, ideological, and visual components.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 21 December 2020
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press

Ableism, a pervasive form of discrimination that favors "able" bodies over those deemed less capable, persists as one of the most widespread and explicit forms of systematic prejudice in Western culture. In stark contrast to the extensive scholarly literature on racism, sexism, classism, and heterosexism, ableism remains undertheorized and under-examined. In his groundbreaking book, James L. Cherney employs a rhetorical lens to explore how ableism has insidiously seeped into our everyday perceptions of disability.

Ableist Rhetoric delves into the acquisition and propagation of ableism through the language we use to describe individuals with disabilities. Through a series of textual case studies, Cherney identifies three rhetorical norms that serve as illustrative examples of the pervasive influence of ableist ideas in society. He examines the notion that "deviance is evil" by analyzing the possession narratives of Cotton Mather and the modern horror classic, The Exorcist. He then explores the idea of "normal is natural" in Aristotle's Generation of Animals and in the cultural debate surrounding cochlear implants. Finally, he demonstrates how the norm "body is able" operates in Alexander Graham Bell's writings on eugenics and in the legal cases brought by disabled athletes Casey Martin and Oscar Pistorius. These three seemingly straightforward equivalencies assume complex roles within the social institutions of religion, medicine, law, and sport.

In conclusion, Cherney advocates for a rhetorical model of disability as a means of challenging ableism on epistemic, ideological, and visual fronts. Accessible and compelling, this groundbreaking book will appeal to scholars of rhetoric and disability studies, as well as disability rights advocates, seeking to deepen their understanding of this pervasive form of discrimination and work towards its eradication.

Weight: 318g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271084695