Disability in a Global Context
Title
Disability in a Global Context
Author
Albrecht, Gary L.
Research Area
The Individual and Society
Topic
Health and Illness
Abstract
Disability is a condition that directly involves over 15% of the global population with reverberations throughout every nation and level of society. The World Bank, World Health Organization, and Gates Foundation emphasize that this population has serious social and economic effects on the stability and development of nations and well‐being of individuals touched by disability. This essay places disability in a global context and details the foundational work in the field. Cutting edge research combining biomedical advances, smartphone and computer technology, robotics, artificial intelligence and analysis of social networks and cultural contexts, disability activism and agency, and physical, social, political, and economic environments are examined. Looking to the future, the essay explores the consequences of global population growth, migration, environmental changes, and increased demand for services and technological innovation on the world's disabled population, their social networks, and nations. Lastly, the importance of exploring global disability in all areas of the world while being open to similarities and differences is emphasized.