Disability and the dimensions of work

People labeled disabled face exclusion in almost all aspects of their lives. This social exclusion is particularly true in the labour force, where people with disabilities typically face high rates of unemployment and underemployment. This paper not only seeks to critically analyze the labour market inequity experienced by bodies marked "disabled", but also to illustrate the social process behind this "disablement." In doing so, this paper advances an understanding of disability oppression in which social, cultural, and economic structures are scrutinized and their role in social exclusion highlighted. In order to illustrate the dynamics of disability and work, this paper will explore in depth the following three labour market conditions: unemployment, underemployment, and unpaid labour. By doing so, this paper will illustrate how a sociological approach to disability oppression uncovers the root causes of labour market inequity, and thus allows us to lay the foundations for social justice.