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185552

Theory, impairment and impersonal singularities

Deleuze, Guattari and Agamben

James Overboe

pp. 112-126

Abstract

Since the Enlightenment with the displacing of God with "man' [sic] as the primary architect of society, differing marginalised people have struggled to be included in this realm of citizenship with rights and responsibilities. Since the 1960s with the advent of identity politics, marginalised groups stake out their claim of legitimacy under the rubric of citizenship. Disability activism and by extension disability studies has followed feminism, queer movements, and antiracism in adopting this method of social change. Yet, this model of self-actualised individuals within a group membership with its reliance upon liberalism to some degree disavows impairments that coexist with the disabled identity. I draw on the theoretical works of Gilles Deleuze, Felix Guattari and Giorgio Agamben to illuminate how impersonal singularities can affirm impairments, and offer another way to express life.

Publication details

Published in:

Goodley Dan, Hughes Bill, Davis Lennard (2012) Disability and social theory: new developments and directions. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 112-126

DOI: 10.1057/9781137023001_7

Full citation:

Overboe James (2012) „Theory, impairment and impersonal singularities: Deleuze, Guattari and Agamben“, In: D. Goodley, B. Hughes & L. Davis (eds.), Disability and social theory, Dordrecht, Springer, 112–126.