This book explores the complex, evolving relationships between men, masculinities, and social welfare in contemporary context. It is inspired by themes examined in 'Men, Gender Divisions and Welfare', an edited collection published in 1998 by Popay, Hearn, and Edwards. While international policy agendas reflect a growing commitment to critically addressing the relations between men, masculinities, and policy, in policy and popular discussions, societies continue to grapple with the question of 'what to do with men?' This question reflects an ongoing tension between the persistence of men's power and control over welfare and policy development, alongside their ostensible avoidance of welfare services. The collection constitutes an up-to-date account of the gendered and social implications of policy and practice change for men, and their inherent contradictions and complexities, tracing both stability and change over the past 25 years. This book will appeal to students and scholars in diverse fields, particularly in sociology, social policy, applied social sciences, gerontology, gender studies, youth studies, welfare studies, politics, and social geography. Given the volume's empirical attention throughout to both policies and practice developments, it will also be of interest to those training in applied and vocational degrees such as health and social care, social work, family support, and health visiting.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SOCIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE brings to students, researchers and practitioners in all of the social and language-related sciences carefully selected book-length publications dealing with sociolinguistic theory, methods, findings and applications. It approaches the study of language in society in its broadest sense, as a truly international and interdisciplinary field in which various approaches, theoretical and empirical, supplement and complement each other. The series invites the attention of linguists, language teachers of all interests, sociologists, political scientists, anthropologists, historians etc. to the development of the sociology of language.

Social change in the twenty-first century is shaped by both demographic changes associated with ageing societies and significant technological change and development. Outlining the basic principles of a new academic field, Socio-gerontechnology, this book explores common conceptual, theoretical and methodological ideas that become visible in the critical scholarship on ageing and technology at the intersection of Age Studies and Science and Technology Studies (STS). Comprised of 15 original chapters, three commentaries and an afterword, the book explores how ageing and technology are already interconnected and constantly being intertwined in Western societies. Topics addressed cover a broad variety of socio-material domains, including care robots, the use of social media, ageing-in-place technologies, the performativity of user involvement and public consultations, dementia care and many others. Together, they provide a unique understanding of ageing and technology from a social sciences and humanities perspective and contribute to the development of new ontologies, methodologies and theories that might serve as both critique of and inspiration for policy and design. International in scope, including contributions from the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Australia, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, Socio-gerontechnology is an agenda-setting text that will provide an introduction for students and early career researchers as well as for more established scholars who are interested in ageing and technology.

The Gifts We Receive from Animals is a book guaranteed to brighten a reader's day. Professionals engaged in therapy work as well as those who have companion animals at home will enjoy learning about the many ways in which animals impact people's lives. Through a series of short, true-life stories, written by professionals engaged in animal assisted interventions, The Gifts We Receive from Animals reminds readers of the core essence of the human animal bond and the reason behind the growing phenomenon of animal assisted interventions. Readers will learn, for example, about the young child who shares her inner most thoughts with a dog and, as a result, learns how to talk with people; the soldier who feels comfortable and safe with a dog, a feeling he has been lacking since active duty; and the elderly adult who works through difficult physical therapy because of his therapy dog. The Gifts We Receive from Animals takes readers on a delightful journey, offering insights into the unique impact animals have in the lives of those they help.

Take a tour of ten national parks in this overview of the ways in which they can be accessed by those with physical, sensory and learning limitations and their companions. The National Parks of the U.S. are some of the most sought-after travel destinations in the world. But a visit to any one of them may seem daunting to someone with hearing, seeing, or other physical challenges. What many may not know is that the National Parks offer help to those with access needs. Here, Simon Hayhoe takes readers on a tour of ten National Parks and the accessibility options available to visitors and their companions. He covers three regions of national parks in the east, center and west of the US. The eastern parks include Acadia National Park in Maine, the Everglades National Park in Florida and the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania. The central parks include Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, Yellowstone National Park, which is mostly in Wyoming and Zion National Park in Utah. The western parks include Denali National Park in Alaska, Olympic National Park in Washington State and Yosemite National Park in California. Knowing how and where to tap into access points is the first step on your journey. So come along, and let this work guide you.

This book provides an in-depth analysis of the social and spatial experiences of people with dwarfism, an impairment that results in a person being no taller than 4' 10". This book engages with the concept that dwarfism's most prominent feature - body size and shape - can form the basis of social discrimination and disadvantages within society. By ignoring body size as a disability, it is hard to see the resulting disabling consequences of the built environment. Using a mixed-methods approach and drawing on the work undertaken by human geographers and disability studies academics, this book analyses how the relationship between harmful cultural stereotypes and space shapes everyday experiences of people with dwarfism and works to socially exclude them in diverse ways. Showing how spatial and social barriers are not mutually exclusive but can influence one another, this book responds to the limited academic work on the subject of dwarfism, whilst also contributing to the study of geographies of body size. It will be of interest to all scholars and students of disability studies, human geography, the built environment, sociology and medical humanities.

This book investigates how being diagnosed with various disabilities impacts on identity. Once diagnosed with a disability, there is a risk that this label can become the primary status both for the person diagnosed as well as for their family. This reification of the diagnosis can be oppressive because it subjugates humanity in such a way that everything a person does can be interpreted as linked to their disability. Drawing on narrative approaches to identity in psychology and social sciences, the bio-psycho-social model and a holistic approach to disabilities, the chapters in this book understand disability as constructed in discourse, as negotiated among speaking subjects in social contexts, and as emergent. By doing so, they amplify voices that may have otherwise remained silent and use storytelling as a way of communicating the participants' realities to provide a more in-depth understanding of their point of view. This book will be of interest to all scholars and students of disability studies, sociology, medical humanities, disability research methods, narrative theory, and rehabilitation studies.

What would life look like if you measured your success by improvements instead of victories? Nik Nikic shares the incredible story of his son Chris's journey to become the first person with Down syndrome to ever complete an IRONMAN (R) triathlon, inspiring others to achieve their goals by getting 1 percent better every day. From the moment Chris Nikic was born, his parents knew he could achieve anything he set his mind to do. So when he became involved in triathlons with the Special Olympics, his dad, Nik, took on the role of coach and encouraged Chris to aim even higher. Together, they set their sights on making history-Chris becoming the first person with Down syndrome to complete an IRONMAN (R) triathlon. Written from Chris's father's perspective, Nik shares the 1% Better mindset that has helped Chris achieve many of his goals-and the underlying principles of the 1% Better system can help you pursue and achieve your dreams too! Through Chris and Nik's story, learn the benefits of applying the model to your own life and discover how to: Overcome the mental hurdles of pain Stay motivated using three irrefutable laws of motivation See failures as opportunities for improvement Form a lifelong habit of success You may never be the best. But you can be better than your best when you stop imposing self-limitations and begin the journey to reach your goals-one confident step at a time. Publisher's Note: 1% Better is written in Nik Nikic's voice. Chris and his accomplishments are the focus of 1% Better, and Chris is a coauthor of the book as he was interviewed by his father and the writer.

All people should have access to all that is available in their community and beyond. Neurodiverse individuals often experience barriers when engaging with businesses, even when obstacles can be easily remedied. This book will provide business owners, leaders, managers, team members, and associates the tools to integrate strategies and techniques that will enhance neurodiversity and inclusion, improving the delivery of a quality experience and increasing a varied customer base.

Ampossible is the go-to guide for every amputee from the first day after limb loss to the day they get their life back. Thousands of amputations happen each day and millions happen every single year around the world. Yet, what an amputee actually experiences minutes after surgery, what's endured through the heart-wrenching recovery, to the time they get their life back, is rarely addressed in its complexity. Almost every amputee experiences an onslaught of emotions filled with confusion, grief, anxiety, depression, and immense physical pain. AMPOSSIBLE offers a glimpse into the realities of limb loss for those who experience it and answers the many questions amputees often have surrounding their very immediate medical needs as well as the long-term challenges, both physical and emotional, amputees must face. The book is a no-holds-barred real-world depiction of life as an amputee. Jeffrey A. Mangus, a below the knee (BKA) amputee, delivers straightforward information for both the amputee and his or her family and support network. Covering the basics of wound care and rehabilitation, he also addresses the very real emotional needs of living a new reality without a part of the body intact. Offering hope and guidance, however, Mangus encourages readers to challenge themselves to overcome the downsides and live a full and engaged life.

Adult autism assessment is a new and fast-growing clinical area, for which professionals often feel ill-equipped. Autistic adults are often misdiagnosed which has enormous implications for their mental health. This accessible and comprehensive adult autism assessment handbook covers the most up to date research and best practice around adult autism assessment, centering the person's internal experiences and sense-making in clinical assessment, rather than subjective observation, thus providing the clinician with a truly paradigm shifting Neuro-Affirmative approach to autism assessment. Traditional clinical assessment tools are comprehensively explored and unpacked to enable the clinician to have full confidence in aligning traditional criteria to the Autistic person's subjective experiences. Full of additional resources like language guidelines and an exploration of the common intersections between Autistic experience and the effects of trauma, mental health and more, this book supplies a breadth of knowledge on key areas that affect Autistic adults in everyday life. The mixed team of neurotypical and neurodivergent authors describe lived experience of Autistic adults, a how-to for conducting Neuro-Affirmative assessments and post-assessment support, alongside reflections from practice. This book also has a directory of further resources including downloadable forms that you can use to prepare for your own assessments and a downloadable deep dive into Autistic perception. This guide will also support professionals through every step of the assessment process.

The collective volume seeks to respond to these questions by exploring crip time in disability performance as both a concept and a phenomenon. Out of time has many different meanings, amongst them outmoded, out of step, under time pressure, no time left, or simply delayed. In the disability context it may also refer to resistant attitudes of living in "crip time" that contradict time as a linear process with a more or less predictable future. According to Alison Kafer, "crip time bends the clock to meet disabled bodies and minds." What does this mean in the disability arts? What new concepts of accessibility, crip futures, and crip resistance can be staged or created by disability performance? And how does the notion of "out of time" connect crip time with pandemic time in disability performance? The book tackles the topic from two angles: on the one hand from a theoretical point of view that connects performance analysis with crip and performance theory, on the other hand from a practice-based perspective of disability artists who develop new concepts and dramaturgies of crip time based on their own lived experiences and observations in the field of the performing and disability arts. The book gathers different types of text genres, forms and styles that mirror the diversity of their authors. Besides theoretical and academic chapters on disability performance the book also includes essays, poems, dramatic texts, and choreographic concepts that reflect upon the alternative knowledge in the disability arts.

It was the late 1940s when a tall, skinny sixth-grader picked up a shiny object off the ground in her small Missouri town and became the victim of a tragic circumstance-an explosive left carelessly behind took away her vision and changed her forever.

With a quietly inspirational style, Nancy Burns shares her poignant life experiences as a blind woman with the hope of educating and enlightening others about certain societal misconceptions and attitudes regarding those who are disabled. Beginning with the moment when she woke up in the hospital-both eyes bandaged-and realized she would not receive the emotional comfort and guidance she so desperately needed, Burns offers a compelling glimpse into the fulfilling world she created for herself, despite her disability. Her personal story chronicles her struggles as a young girl learning to live with her vision loss, her family's inability to acknowledge her disability, and her determined journey to acquire the skills that led her to eventually become a vocational counselor who worked with disabled clients.

In "Once Upon a Challenge: Hearing is Believing" Burns offers an important message-the way one chooses to live with challenges becomes the key to success in life.

Amit Patel is working as a trauma doctor when a rare condition causes him to lose his sight within thirty-six hours. Totally dependent on others and terrified of stepping outside with a white cane after he's assaulted, he hits rock bottom. He refuses to leave home on his own for three months. With the support of his wife Seema he slowly adapts to his new situation, but how could life ever be the way it was? Then his guide dog Kika comes along . . .

But Kika’s stubbornness almost puts her guide dog training in jeopardy – could her quirky personality be a perfect match for someone? Meanwhile Amit has reservations – can he trust a dog with his safety? Paired together in 2015, they start on a journey, learning to trust each other before taking to the streets of London and beyond. The partnership not only gives Amit a renewed lease of life but a new best friend. Then, after a video of an irate commuter rudely asking Amit to step aside on an escalator goes viral, he sets out with Kika by his side to spread a message of positivity and inclusivity, showing that nothing will hold them back.

From the challenges of travelling when blind to becoming a parent for the first time, Kika & Me is the moving, heart-warming and inspirational story of Amit’s sight-loss journey and how one guide dog changed his world.

This practical book introduces a new, research-based model of occupational wholeness, a way of conceptualising satisfaction with what one does to meet needs for being, belonging and becoming. It explores how to: conceptualise people's life stories through the model; take vital steps to help identify any problems; draw personal profiles; introduce intervention strategies for promoting wellbeing. Focusing on enhancing wellbeing, rather than ill health, the concept of occupational wholeness supports people to feel more control of their own lives and helps to identify what balance can be created, while recognising personal limitations and environmental restrictions. Alongside theoretical background, it includes practice applications and practical tools, with scenarios and activities to consolidate learning. Providing a unique combination of the practice and theory of occupational science, Yazdani integrates occupational science, psychology and sociology with clinical experience of working with diverse groups of people in different countries. This book is an important guide and reference for occupational therapists, occupational scientists, counsellors and life coaches.

This practical book introduces a new, research-based model of occupational wholeness, a way of conceptualising satisfaction with what one does to meet needs for being, belonging and becoming. It explores how to: conceptualise people's life stories through the model; take vital steps to help identify any problems; draw personal profiles; introduce intervention strategies for promoting wellbeing. Focusing on enhancing wellbeing, rather than ill health, the concept of occupational wholeness supports people to feel more control of their own lives and helps to identify what balance can be created, while recognising personal limitations and environmental restrictions. Alongside theoretical background, it includes practice applications and practical tools, with scenarios and activities to consolidate learning. Providing a unique combination of the practice and theory of occupational science, Yazdani integrates occupational science, psychology and sociology with clinical experience of working with diverse groups of people in different countries. This book is an important guide and reference for occupational therapists, occupational scientists, counsellors and life coaches.

Captures the importance of belonging and the need for social connectedness- a key driver for positive adjustment post-injury. Highlights the issues around how people with brain injuries are 'managed' in a residential home environment that is predominantly intended for elderly and frail individuals. Covers a decades-long timespan of a survivor of brain injury. Provides much needed support for patients and family members adjusting to life after brain injury.

This interdisciplinary volume links dis/ability and agency by exploring LatDisCrit's theory and activist emancipatory practice. It uses the author's experiential and analytical views as a blind brown Latinx engaged scholar and activist from the global south living and struggling in the highly racialized global north context of the United States. LatDisCrit integrates critically LatCrit and DisCrit which look at the interplay of race/ethnicity, diasporic cultures, historical sociopolitics and disability within multiple Latinx identities in mostly global north contexts, while incorporating global south epistemologies. Using intersectional analysis of key concepts through critical counterstories, following critical race theory methodological traditions, and engaging possible decoloniality treatments of material precarity and agency, this book emphasizes intersectionality's complex underpinnings within and beyond Latinidades. Through a careful interplay of dis/ability identity and dis/ability rights/empowerment, the volume opens avenues for intersectional solidarity and spaces for radical transformational learning. This book will be of interest to all scholars and students working in disability studies; intersectional disability justice activists; critical Latinx/Chicanx studies; critical geographies; intersectional political philosophy; and political and public sociology.

Includes 29 newly written chapters from scholars and activists around the world. First book to provide an overview of Critical Autism Studies and explore the different kinds of knowledges and their articulations, similarities and differences across cultural contexts and key tensions within this sub-discipline. Of interest to all scholars and students of disability studies, sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, education, health, social care and political science as well as members of the autistic community and activists.

Argues for a return to a positive view of the other via a personalist philosophy of being offered by Mounier, Marcel, and Wojtyla, and deepened by participation, belonging, and possibility of contributing to the good of all. It will be of interest to all scholars and students of disability studies, philosophy and anthropology. Disability studies are often regarded as practical studies as opposed to the apparently inevitable theorizing of philosophy or theology. However, this book's methodology of explicitly linking disability studies with philosophy and theology demonstrates their complementarity.

This volume represents a compilation of critically reflexive thinkers in adaptive physical activity (APA) who have willingly embraced the uncomfortable issues of ableism, disableism, and ethically questionable professional practices in the field. From an unprecedented, frank, and introspective stance, the authors make the comfortable and taken-for-granted, uncomfortable. International researchers and educators bring reflexion to ableism in higher education - including curriculum making, textbooks as artefacts of the professional landscape in APA, and the models of disability that unconsciously frame post-secondary instruction in APA.