Northampton Electronic Collection of Theses and Research

Confronting obstacles to inclusion: how the US news media report disability

Haller, B., Ralph, S. and Zaks, Z. (2010) Confronting obstacles to inclusion: how the US news media report disability. In: Rose, R. (ed.) Confronting Obstacles to Inclusion: International Responses to Developing Inclusive Education. London: Routledge. pp. 9-30.

Item Type: Book Section
Abstract: The news media act as a major source of information about the society in which we live. Much research has confirmed the place of news media as agents in the social construction of reality (Gamson 1992) and in the creation of a societal worldview (Cohen & Young 1982). The reporting of disability issues has tended to follow the medical model of disability and such themes as medical and other controversies, causes, cures, symptoms and associated behaviours have been reported. Disabled people are generally "talked about" rather then being able to speak for themselves. We argue that the attitudes perpetuated in the news media act as barriers towards inclusion of disabled people in main stream society. In this research we have analyzed stories about autism from four major US publications to demonstrate what is written about disabled people and ask how the news media are creating the "reality" about a particular disability, autism, for their audiences.
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HM Sociology > HM1206 Mass media in society
R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC435 Psychiatry > RC553.A88 Autism spectrum disorders
H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology > HV1551 People with disabilities
Creators: Haller, Beth, Ralph, Sue and Zaks, Zosia
Editors: Rose, Richard
Publisher: Routledge
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes: University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Research Centre > Centre for Special Needs Education and Research
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Faculty of Education & Humanities
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Faculty of Education & Humanities > Special Education Needs and Inclusion
Faculties > Faculty of Education & Humanities > Special Education Needs and Inclusion
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Research Centre > Centre for Education and Research
Research Centres > Centre for Education and Research
Date: 2010
Date Type: Publication
Page Range: pp. 9-30
Title of Book: Confronting Obstacles to Inclusion: International Responses to Developing Inclusive Education
Place of Publication: London
Number of Pages: 310
Language: English
ISBN: 9780415493611
Status: Published / Disseminated
URI: http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/5868

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