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Disability Models: Explaining and Understanding Disability Sport in Different Ways

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The Palgrave Handbook of Paralympic Studies

Abstract

How we explain and understand disability matters. In this chapter, we examine one way of explaining and understanding disability through a models approach. Two traditional models are first critically attended to. These are the medical model and then the social model. Having problematised these models, the next two more recent models are described, that is, the social relational model and the human rights model of disability. Throughout examples of research using models from sport are noted. We close with a set of future directions for understanding disability, sport, and physical activity. The directions offered for consideration include a focus on critical disability studies, disablism, and ableism.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The UK social model is neither a social theory in its own right (Thomas 2007) nor, strictly speaking, for some (Owens 2015) is it a model because it lacks the necessary ingredients to satisfy definitions of what counts as a theory or model. It may be closer to a concept. This noted, because it is commonly called a ‘model’ in the literature, this term will be used throughout the chapter. We would encourage those within sport to unpack such definitional complexities further.

  2. 2.

    Not to mention ignoring the fact that at the elite level in any sport, few coaches are expected to demonstrate the skills that the athletes they coach are attempting to master. Imagine, for example, if being named a coach of an Olympic figure skater required that one being able to perform the same routine, quadruple lutz included, as the athlete they are coaching .

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Birmingham, School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK

    Brett Smith

  2. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Andrea Bundon

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  1. Brett Smith
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  2. Andrea Bundon
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Business in Society, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom

    Ian Brittain

  2. University of St Mark and St John, Plymouth, United Kingdom

    Aaron Beacom

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© 2018 The Author(s)

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Smith, B., Bundon, A. (2018). Disability Models: Explaining and Understanding Disability Sport in Different Ways. In: Brittain, I., Beacom, A. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Paralympic Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-47901-3_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-47901-3_2

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-47900-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-47901-3

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