Activist Affordances: How Disabled People Improvise More Habitable Worlds

Arseli Dokumacı's book Activist Affordances explores how creatively disabled people use improvisation to make their lives more manageable, showing how performance spaces can enable them to imagine and create a more accessible world.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 07 April 2023
Publisher: Duke University Press

Living with a disability, encompassing a wide range of chronic conditions and persistent pain, can pose significant challenges when it comes to performing everyday tasks such as lifting a glass of water or removing clothing. However, in her book "Activist Affordances," Arseli Dokumacı showcases the remarkable abilities and ingenuity of individuals with diverse disabilities who overcome these obstacles through their labor, creativity, and artfulness. By delving into ethnographic research with these individuals, Dokumacı reveals how they utilize improvisation to envision and create more habitable worlds through seemingly insignificant actions and fleeting movements. She refers to these as "activist affordances." Despite the constraints imposed by their environment, Dokumacı demonstrates how the improvisatory space of performance opens up possibilities for disabled individuals to reimagine that same environment in different ways. Through their activist affordances, these individuals offer a glimpse into a more inclusive and accessible world for all.

Living with a disability, encompassing a wide range of chronic conditions and persistent pain, can pose significant challenges when it comes to performing everyday tasks such as lifting a glass of water or removing clothing. However, in her book "Activist Affordances," Arseli Dokumacı showcases the remarkable abilities and ingenuity of individuals with diverse disabilities who overcome these obstacles through their labor, creativity, and artfulness. By delving into ethnographic research with these individuals, Dokumacı reveals how they utilize improvisation to envision and create more habitable worlds through seemingly insignificant actions and fleeting movements. She refers to these as "activist affordances." Despite the constraints imposed by their environment, Dokumacı demonstrates how the improvisatory space of performance opens up possibilities for disabled individuals to reimagine that same environment in different ways. Through their activist affordances, these individuals offer a glimpse into a more inclusive and accessible world for all.

Dokumacı's work highlights the importance of recognizing and valuing the contributions of disabled individuals in society. It challenges the notion that disability solely limits individuals' abilities and encourages us to view them as agents of change and innovation. By exploring the ways in which disabled people use improvisation to create more accessible and inclusive environments, Dokumacı offers valuable insights into the potential for a more equitable and inclusive world.

Furthermore, "Activist Affordances" contributes to the broader discourse on disability and accessibility. It challenges the dominant narratives that often portray disability as a burden or a source of shame and instead emphasizes the resilience, creativity, and adaptability of disabled individuals. By highlighting the activist affordances of disabled people, Dokumacı encourages us to think beyond traditional approaches to disability support and to explore new ways of creating a more inclusive and accessible society.

In conclusion, "Activist Affordances" is a groundbreaking book that offers a fresh perspective on disability and accessibility. Through her ethnographic research and innovative approach, Arseli Dokumacı demonstrates the remarkable abilities and ingenuity of individuals with diverse disabilities. By highlighting the activist affordances of these individuals, she provides a glimpse into a more inclusive and accessible world for all. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in disability studies, social justice, and the potential for positive change in society.

Weight: 490g
Dimension: 152 x 230 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478019244