Crip Genealogies

Crip Genealogies reorient disability studies by centering transnational feminism, queer of color critique, and trans scholarship and activism, challenging the white, Western, and Northern rights-based genealogy of disability studies. They explore how disability justice activists work with other social justice projects, create crip environments, and reject notions of the model minority.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 07 April 2023
Publisher: Duke University Press

Crip Genealogies is a groundbreaking collection of essays that reimagines the field of disability studies by centering the work of transnational feminism, queer of color critique, and trans scholarship and activism. The contributors challenge the dominant white, Western, and Northern rights-based genealogy of disability studies, revealing how it perpetuates exclusion and relies on logics of whiteness and imperialism. They explore how disability justice activists collaborate with other social justice movements, examine the experiences of crip communities, create alternative disciplinary genealogies, and reject notions of the model minority. Throughout, the contributors demonstrate how the mandate for a single genealogy of the discipline obscures disability and perpetuates forms of violence. By crippling disability studies, the contributors open up space for diverse histories, the coexistence of anti-ableist and antiracist theorizing, and a radically just and expansive understanding of disability.

Suzanne Bost, Mel Y. Chen, Sony Coránez Bolton, Natalia Duong, Lezlie Frye, Magda García, Alison Kafer, Eunjung Kim, Yoo-suk Kim, Kateřina Kolářová, James Kyung-Jin Lee, Stacey Park Milbern, Julie Avril Minich, Tari Young-Jung Na, Therí A. Pickens, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Jasbir K. Puar, Sami Schalk, Faith Njahîra Wangarî are among the contributors to Crip Genealogies. Each essay offers a unique perspective on the field, challenging traditional understandings and advocating for a more inclusive and intersectional approach to disability studies.

One of the key themes of the book is the importance of transnational feminism in understanding the experiences of disabled people. The contributors argue that disability studies has often been dominated by Western and Northern perspectives, which fail to recognize the diverse experiences and struggles of disabled people across different cultures and regions. By centering the work of transnational feminism, the contributors highlight the ways in which disability is shaped by social, political, and economic forces that transcend national boundaries.

Queer of color critique is another important lens through which the contributors examine the experiences of disabled people. They argue that disability studies has often been limited by heteronormative and patriarchal assumptions, which fail to recognize the intersectional experiences of disabled people who are also marginalized by race, gender, and sexuality. By incorporating queer of color critique, the contributors highlight the ways in which disability is not only a medical condition but also a political and social one that is deeply intertwined with systems of oppression.

Trans scholarship and activism are also central to Crip Genealogies. The contributors argue that trans people have historically been excluded from disability studies and that their experiences and perspectives are essential to understanding the field. By incorporating trans scholarship and activism, the contributors challenge the dominant narratives of disability and advocate for a more inclusive and intersectional approach to the study of disability.

The contributors to Crip Genealogies also examine how disability justice activists work in concert with other social justice projects to promote disability rights and justice. They explore the ways in which disability justice activists create alternative spaces and communities, challenge ableist assumptions and practices, and advocate for the recognition and inclusion of disabled people in all aspects of society.

In addition to these themes, the contributors to Crip Genealogies also challenge the notion of the model minority. They argue that the model minority narrative is a harmful and inaccurate representation of disabled people, which perpetuates stereotypes and reinforces ableist assumptions. By rejecting the model minority narrative, the contributors highlight the ways in which disability is not a monolithic experience but rather a complex and diverse one that is shaped by a range of factors, including race, gender, sexuality, and class.

Overall, Crip Genealogies is a groundbreaking collection of essays that reimagines the field of disability studies by centering the work of transnational feminism, queer of color critique, and trans scholarship and activism. The contributors challenge the dominant narratives of disability and advocate for a more inclusive and intersectional approach to the study of disability. By crippling disability studies, the contributors open up space for diverse histories, the coexistence of anti-ableist and antiracist theorizing, and a radically just and expansive understanding of disability.

Weight: 550g
Dimension: 152 x 230 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478019220