Ronald Berger provides students with a comprehensive, accessible introduction to the key themes and controversies in disability studies. This innovative textbook:

• Provides historical context, from ancient times to the present.
• Traces disability's impact throughout the life course.
• Gives prominence to the voices of people with disabilities.
• Explores popular culture's role in distorting ideas about disability.
• Addresses emerging ethical issues, such as the implications of genetic selection.

Illustrating the profound consequences of differing conceptions of physical, sensory, and cognitive impairments, Berger provides a solid foundation for making sense of disability as a social phenomenon.