In 1990 a landmark piece of legislation was passed by Congress. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was based on the idea that equal rights can solve social problems associated with disability. Few acts have sparked as much debate in recent years, with many employers and programme providers protesting - and litigating - against the burdensome costs of the act. On the other side, many of the Americans with disabilities and their advocates claim that the ADA doesn't do enough, that only the most highly functioning disabled people benefit. "Americans with Disabilities" looks at the debate and seeks to shed light on who is right. Philosophers, legal theorists, bioethicists and policy makers offer incisive looks into the philosophical and moral foundations of disability law and policy. A thought-provoking analysis of one of the most controversial laws on the books, "Americans with Disabilities" provides a keen understanding of how much US law does - and should - protect citizens with disabilities against intolerance and social limitation.

In 1990 the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed by the US Congress, eliciting much debate. In this work, leading philosophers, legal theorists, bioethicists and policy makers look into the philosophical and moral foundations of disability law and policy.
Americans with Disabilities is a thought-provoking analysis of one of the United States' most controversial laws.

'Clear, helpful and very readable...This book breaks new ground and does indeed 'expand the debate' .' - Mortality

'This substantial academic volume, which seeks to expand the debate on physician-assisted suicide, is a significant addition to the growing number of edited works on one of the most important issues in contemporary bioethics ... an interesting, readable and topical collection of essays' - Journal of Medical Ethics

'The summaries in this review cannot convey the subtelties of argument and refreshing lack of cant in these essays. This excellent collection ... succeeds in expanding the debate ... well beyond its current narrow framework.' - New England Journal of Medicine

Historically and across societies people with disabilities have been stigmatized and excluded from social opportunities on a variety of culturally specific grounds. In this collection, the authors explore the impact that the philosophical framing of disability can have on public policy questions, in the clinic, in the courtroom, and elsewhere. They examine the implications of this understanding for legal and policy approaches to disability, strategies for allocating and accessing health care, the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, health care rights, and other legal tools designed to address discrimination. This volume should be read by anyone seeking a balanced view of disability and an understanding of the connection between the framing of disability and policies that have a real-world impact on individuals.

Historically and across societies people with disabilities have been stigmatized and excluded from social opportunities on a variety of culturally specific grounds. In this collection, the authors explore the impact that the philosophical framing of disability can have on public policy questions, in the clinic, in the courtroom, and elsewhere. They examine the implications of this understanding for legal and policy approaches to disability, strategies for allocating and accessing health care, the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, health care rights, and other legal tools designed to address discrimination. This volume should be read by anyone seeking a balanced view of disability and an understanding of the connection between the framing of disability and policies that have a real-world impact on individuals.