The Personal is Political – And Then What? Ideology, Representation, and Legitimacy in a Swedish Disability Organisation

Oskar Krantz; Stina Melander; Julia Bahner

doi:10.16993/sjdr.1001

The Personal is Political – And Then What? Ideology, Representation, and Legitimacy in a Swedish Disability Organisation

Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research

Volume 25 (2023): Issue 1

By: Oskar Krantz , Stina Melander and Julia Bahner

Open Access

|Jun 2023

Abstract

Background: Who can or cannot claim to represent other members within the disability rights movement has been discussed for decades, mainly concerning being disabled as an eligibility prerequisite.

Aim(s): The aim is to analyse arguments concerning representational claims within a Swedish disability rights organisation (DHR, Disability Human Rights).

Method: Every member of DHR was given the opportunity to answer three open-ended questions. Answers were subjected to a qualitative content analysis.

Results: Two main dimensions of arguments were found. The ideological dimension legitimises representation through lived experience or a human rights approach. The pragmatic dimension legitimises representation through relational claims or organisational necessities. Further analysis revealed a paradox: When a representative is required to have a body with certain characteristics, other knowledge-related aspects risk devaluation.

Conclusion(s): Paradoxically, the organisation has a goal of rendering impairment irrelevant in society, while rendering impairment a main issue when electing representatives.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.16993/sjdr.1001 | Journal eISSN: 1745-3011

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Language: English

Page range: 198 - 211

Submitted on: Jan 5, 2023

Accepted on: May 25, 2023

Published on: Jun 21, 2023

Published by: Stockholm University Press

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

Disability rights organisation,

elected representative,

representation,

Sweden

© 2023 Oskar Krantz, Stina Melander, Julia Bahner, published by Stockholm University Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 25 (2023): Issue 1