Introducing political disability identity as a framework for studying disability in physics

Abstract

Although social identity, as it relates to physics identity, is not a new area of research, disability identity is woefully understudied in physics. Disability is political, and ableism is real, ordinary, and pervasive in physics. Disabled people find themselves as the subject of sociopolitical violence both in and out of the classroom, simply for existing in their body. In a climate charged with politicality and identity discourse in the classroom, it is surprising that a framework for understanding disability and the transactional relationship disabled persons have with their environment in a political way has yet to be used in physics education. In this paper, I introduce Political Disability Identity[1] as a framework for studying disability identity in Physics Education Research. I outline the domains of Political Disability Identity, and the underlying themes which should guide research using this framework. Finally, I call for its use both in the physics classroom, and in Physics Education Research.