Fighting shadows? The concept and emergence of ableism in society and at the workplace

Abstract

Ableism is both an ideology and a belief system that privileges ableness and normality considering disability as a lower form of human existence and rendering people with disabilities invisible. Based on a literature summary, the current paper intends to describe the concept and roots of ableism and to show how it is manifested in society and the labour market as well as within the individual. It also introduces some research that uses ableism as an analytical tool to address issues of marginalisation and discrimination. The results provide insight into the broad and complex ways in which ableism can influence and constrain the opportunities of people with disabilities and their responses to social challenges. The paper aims not only to raise awareness of ableism as a potential form of oppression for interested academic researchers, university students, and diversity practitioners, but also to encourage them to conduct further research and identify ways of eliminating it.