Routledge Understanding Disability Discrimination Law through Geography

Examining the UK Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) in comparison to its counterparts in the USA and Australia, this book focuses on how it is being interpreted and acted upon in the context of higher education, a key area of national attention in the UK. It also evaluates this law in the context of the larger project of civil rights legislation and demonstrates that geography can be used to explain law and legal arguments by highlighting their subjectivity and by emphasizing the importance of place, specificity and context. While providing in-depth analysis of the effectiveness and scope of this significant legislation this book demonstrates the importance of geography in the application of law. It provides insights into the broader workings of UK anti-discrimination law, which are particularly relevant given the scrutiny of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the concerns about the effectiveness of legal tools in fighting discrimination. Finally, this book critiques liberal notions of legal subjectivity and medical definitions of disability which is topical given the current attention given to debates about identity politics. Review 'Do not judge this book by its cover. The plain cover art and straightforward title belies the refreshing manner in which the book is presented. It is an excellent example of the richness and value of an interdisciplinary approach to disability issues. Drawing on key tenets of Law, Geography and Disability Studies, the author Fayyaz Vellani, a British-based academic, has written a carefully crafted book'. Social and Cultural Geography 'Understanding Disability Discrimination Law through Geography will be of interest to those who wish to get a flavour of the potential micro-power relations within universities and the everyday experiences of disabled students navigating these systems, and it is these views which we believe give the most novelty to the work'.Disability and Society About the Author Fayyaz Vellani is Senior Fellow in the Critical Writing Program, University of Pennsylvania, USA.