This article examines how the institutional and legal mechanisms of the late modern labour market shape the life course, social recognition, and labour-market participation of people with changed work capacity. It argues that these mechanisms not only regulate access to work and social protection but also actively produce vulnerability through moralized expectations and fragmented forms of legal governance. The theoretical framework draws on risk society theory, individualized responsibility, and critical disability studies. Conceptualizing disability, based on the experience of acquired functional loss, not as an individual deficit but as a socially and institutionally mediated position relative to a previously work-capable status, the analysis is based on a narrative life-history interview, interpreted as a hermeneutic and interpretive case using Didier Fassin’s framework of moral, legal, and institutional evaluation. The study shows how work becomes a moral obligation, how legal classification and administrative routines function as gatekeeping practices through which institutional exclusion is reproduced, how institutional exclusion is reproduced through legal and administrative practices, and how the ethos of independence and a helping identity are organized simultaneously as resources of agency and as mechanisms of self-responsibilization within experiences of changed work capacity in late modern societies.
The paper examines the role of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) as a participatory Assistive Technology (AT) practice in improving the quality of life of families raising children with cerebral palsy (CP). It argues that standardized, institutional assistive device systems often fail to respond with sufficient flexibility to the heterogeneous and evolving needs associated with CP. The theoretical framework draws on Critical Disability Theory, open design, and participatory design, which conceptualize disability as a social construct and design as an active norm-shaping agent. The case study focuses on the Adaptive Design Association (ADA) and its institutionalized DIY-AT model, highlighting how community-based knowledge sharing and participatory design strengthen family autonomy, perceived competence, and psychosocial well-being while reducing stigmatization. The paper concludes that DIY-AT is not an alternative to, but a complementary extension of institutional assistive technology systems.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions and has a significant impact on social adjustment. International studies consistently report lower levels of social acceptance and increased peer rejection among affected students; however, comprehensive sociometric data based on Hungarian samples have not previously been available. The aim of the present study was to empirically examine the social status of upper primary school students diagnosed with ADHD in Budapest. The sample consisted of 486 students from 24 classes, of whom 31 had a confirmed ADHD diagnosis. Data were collected using the eSzocMet online sociometric system, applying a combined methodology of Mérei’s multi-criteria sociometry and Coie’s sociometric classification. The analysis focused on popularity, social impact, the number of reciprocal relationships, and the distribution of social status categories. Students diagnosed with ADHD showed significantly lower popularity scores and fewer reciprocal relationships (p < .05), while no significant difference was found in social impact. The distribution of social status was shifted toward the “rejected” and “transitional” categories. These findings highlight the need for targeted educational support and the strengthening of inclusive learning environments.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most transformative forces of the 21st century; it reshapes industries, economies, governmental systems, and the functioning of societies at an unprecedented pace. The tools of AI, including large language models (LLMs), are reshaping the frameworks of human communication, knowledge transmission, and social participation. From the perspective of disability studies, these technologies exhibit a dual nature: they offer access and new instruments to support inclusion, while also carrying the risk of exclusion. These systems are therefore both technological and normative constructions: the linguistic patterns and cultural assumptions embedded in them determine who appears in the digital space and how they are represented. Focusing on this duality, the study examines how the issues of fairness, autonomy, transparency, and accessibility emerge in the development and application of large language models, with a specific focus on people with disabilities.
The article presents the education system in Canada, specifically in the province of New Brunswick, and the steps taken in the area of educational inclusion, highlighting some practices that promote the spread of an inclusive approach. In addition to students with learning difficulties and disabilities, we also present provincial and institutional policies related to the support of Indigenous peoples, as well as the support for their implementation. A brief historical summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of the current context. The study is based on a review of relevant literature.
One of the phenomena of our age is hermeneutic cacophony, i.e., the emergence of multiple interpretations, from which even the various scientific disciplines are not immune. These new types of interpretive diversity are extremely varied, placing an extra burden on societies and communities alike, as it becomes increasingly difficult to find our way in existence. In this context, tourism studies and its new paradigm, travel studies, are also undergoing significant changes in terms of their message and research and investigation tasks. All these changes should encourage us, as thinking beings, not to be frightened by the astonishing complexity of our own world, which we have created ourselves, but to strive to understand and describe the world of our shared earthly journey with ever-new approaches and to talk about all this in more human language. This study is an attempt to do just that.
The representation of social minority groups, including people with disabilities, plays a crucial role in shaping how majority society relates to them. The Paralympic Games are one of the world’s largest sporting events, providing an exceptional opportunity to influence public perceptions of disabled people and attitudes toward disability sport. This study examined how the most popular Hungarian-language online written media outlets represented the Paralympic Games and people with disabilities. Based on analytical criteria drawn from the relevant literature, these representations largely did not include harmful portrayals. Most of the content was created by reproducing or drawing on reports from the Hungarian News Agency (MTI), so its representational approach was also reflected in the examined outlets. In cases where the content was not based on MTI reports, problematic representational patterns appeared more frequently.
A torzítás jelensége a hazai szakirodalomban ritkán tárgyalt, ám fontos probléma, ami még elismert folyóiratokban is gyakran veszélyezteti a nem feltétlenül általánosítható, illetve nem valid adatok megjelenését. A téma ismerete nemcsak a kutatók érdeklődésére tarthat számot, jó, ha a tudományos közlemények olvasói is ismerik és ennek megfelelően értékelik az olvasottakat, de különösen fontos azoknak, akik bizonyítékokra alapozott módszertani vagy szakmai ajánlásokat készítenek, hogy elkerüljék a magas torzítási kockázattal készült forrásmunkák felhasználását, vagy azok alapján nem kellően megalapozott következtetések levonását. Jelen írás korábbi folyamatos és aktuálisan célzott szakirodalomkeresés alapján a torzítások formáiról, okairól, valamint megelőzésük és felismerésük lehetséges módszereiről ad tömör, narratív összefoglalást, hasznos forrásokat nyújtva szakmai irányelvek készítőinek is. Emellett egy első betekintést nyújt a kvalitatív kutatások terén tapasztalható torzítások szakirodalmába is, ezzel megnyitva a teret további szakmai és módszertani diskurzusok számára.
A hazai szakirodalomban egy kevéssé kutatott témát, az intellektuális képességzavart (IKZ-t) mutató személyek szexualitását (lehetőségek, igények, támogatások mentén) vizsgáljuk. Az elméleti háttérben kitérünk a hazai és külföldi szakirodalomban találtakra a szexualitás, a párkapcsolatok témakörében, és reflektálunk a hazai jogszabályi környezetre. Négy IKZ-t mutató és komplex profilú bentlakásos intézményben élő párral készítettünk félig strukturált, páros interjúkat a párkapcsolat kialakítására és a szexualitás megélésére fókuszálva, melyeket az egyszerű tematikus tartalomelemzés módszertana mentén elemeztünk. A résztvevők szexualitáshoz való viszonyában, valamint a környezet támogatásának mértékében jelentős eltéréseket találtunk a párok között, melyek rávilágítanak az emberek és a párkapcsolatok sokszínűségére ebben a célcsoportban is.
A 2007. évben hazánk Parlamentje ratifikálta a Fogyatékossággal élő személyek jogairól szóló ENSZegyezményt, az ún. CRPD-t. Ez az úttörő dokumentum – miközben új jogokat nem hoz létre – a harmadik évezred elejéig kibontakozott nemzetközi jogfejlődés szellemében rögzíti a fogyatékossággal élő személyek polgári és politikai, továbbá gazdasági, szociális és kulturális jogait. Jelen cikk az Egyezményhez (CRPD) vezető néhány hazai és nemzetközi szálat és szereplőt mutat be – érintetti perspektívából.
A figyelemhiányos hiperaktivitás zavar (ADHD) pedagógusok általi megértése kulcsfontosságú tényező az állapot korai felismerésében és az inkluzív nevelési gyakorlatok sikeres megvalósításában. Jelen kutatás célja a magyarországi általános iskolai pedagógusok ADHD-val kapcsolatos tudásának mértékét és szerkezetét feltárni, valamint megvizsgálni, hogy a személyes érintettség – például egy diagnosztizált családtag vagy közeli barát révén – miként befolyásolja e tudást. A vizsgálatban összesen 158 pedagógus vett részt, akik kitöltöttek egy háttérkérdőívet és a Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorder Scalet-t (KADDS). A tudásszintek pontszámai alapján független mintás t-próbák és item-szintű elemzések készültek annak összehasonlítására, hogy a személyes tapasztalattal rendelkező (PE1) és azzal nem rendelkező (PE0) pedagógusok között mutatkozik-e különbség. Az átlagos összpontszám 62,5% (SD = 12,9) volt. A személyes érintettséggel rendelkező tanárok szignifikánsan magasabb ADHD-ismereti szintet mutattak mind a teljes skálán, mind két alskálán. Az eredmények arra utalnak, hogy a személyes tapasztalat hozzájárul a pedagógusok ADHD-val kapcsolatos mélyebb megértéséhez. Bizonyos módszertani korlátok ellenére a kutatás hangsúlyozza az iskola és a család közötti együttműködés erősítésének fontosságát a pedagógusok tudatosságának növelése és az inkluzív oktatási gyakorlatok hatékonyabb megvalósítása érdekében.
The Parliament of the Hungarian Republic ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the CRPD in 2007. This modern and pioneering international agreement does not constitute new rights, however, it summarizes the the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of persons with disabilities. This essay describes some Hungarian and international processes and actors that played significant roles in preliminary processes—from an emancipatory perspective.
Research bias is a rarely discussed yet important issue in Hungarian academic literature. Even in respected journals, bias often jeopardises the publication of data that may not be generalisable or valid. Familiarity with this topic is not only useful for researchers but also valuable for readers of scientific publications, enabling them to critically assess the material they encounter. It is particularly important for those involved in the development of evidence-based methodological or professional guidelines to avoid using sources with a high risk of bias or drawing insufficiently grounded conclusions based on such works. This paper provides a concise, narrative overview based on previous continuous and currently targeted literature review. It addresses the forms and causes of bias, along with possible methods for its prevention and detection. In addition, it provides valuable resources for those engaged in developing professional guidelines. The paper also presents an initial insight into the literature on biases in qualitative research, thereby opening space for further professional and methodological discussions.
Teachers’ understanding of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a key determinant of early identification and the successful implementation of inclusive educational practices. This study investigated the extent and structure of Hungarian primary school teachers’ knowledge of ADHD and examined the potential influence of personal exposure to individuals diagnosed with the disorder, such as family members or close friends. A total of 158 teachers completed a background questionnaire and the Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorders Scale (KADDS). Knowledge scores were computed, and independent-samples t-tests alongside item-level analyses were performed to compare teachers with (PE1) and without (PE0) personal experience. The mean overall accuracy score was 62.5% (SD = 12.9). Teachers with personal experience demonstrated significantly higher levels of ADHD-related knowledge on the total scale and across two subscales. These findings indicate that personal exposure contributes to greater understanding of ADHD among teachers. Despite certain methodological limitations, the results highlight the importance of strengthening collaboration between schools and families to enhance teacher awareness and promote more effective inclusive education practices.
Background and objectives: In the Hungarian literature, the sexuality of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID)—in terms of opportunities, needs, and available support—remains an under-researched topic. In the theoretical background, we discuss findings from both Hungarian and international studies related to sexuality and romantic relationships, and we reflect on the Hungarian legal framework surrounding these issues. We conducted semi-structured, paired interviews with four couples living with ID in a complex residential care institution, focusing on the development of their romantic relationships and their experiences of sexuality. The interviews were analyzed using the method of basic thematic content analysis. We found differences between the couples regarding their attitudes toward sexuality and the extent of the environmental support they received. These findings further highlight the diversity of individuals and relationships within this target group.
Contributing to disability studies in the post-socialist context (Mladenov, 2015, 2016), this paper explores the social injustices generated by the ableist environment. We were interested in seeing how the theory of social justice by Nancy Fraser, a philosopher and critical theorist, can be understood from the triple perspective of post-socialist legacy, neoliberal market economy, and ableism. The theoretical paper focuses on the economic, cultural and political specificities of post-socialist ableism.
This paper presents an ongoing doctoral research study on the femininity of young adult women with physical disabilities and the influence of the internet and social media on their self-image. The study aims to explore, within a qualitative feminist disability studies framework, the narratives of congenitally physically disabled women aged 18-35 regarding femininity and womanhood. Semi-structured interviews will address issues of femininity and the impact of social media and digital interfaces on the participants’ self-image. The interviews will be analysed using content analysis based on established theoretical frameworks.
How can a human character segregated for thousands of years become an active member of a society? How can an object become a subject? Can socially prescribed roles be re-scribed? And what is the connection between these roles and social responsibility? This paper answers these questions in the context of a concise overview of the roles societies have given to the blind. Based on theories and practices, this paper reflects on the stereotype that blindness and musical talent are inseparable attributes. Becoming a subject from an object is a long way, a broad spectrum in space and time, from the ancient Egyptian and Greek blind musicians to the 21st-century Legato Choir of the Budapest Special School of the Blind in Hungary. As we walk along that way, we can surely form our own answers to Tom Shakespeare’s question, how one can become a character if the world has already decided they are a type.
It is important to separate disability studies research by gender because women may have different experiences from men. Research on specific situations faced by women, such as motherhood, is particularly important in order to get a broader picture of the oppression of disabled people. In our study, we explored the motherhood experiences of five visually impaired Hungarian women using a feminist disability studies approach. We conducted narrative life history interviews with them. We combined two qualitative research methods, Grounded Theory and narrative life history interviews, to explore aspects of the topic that are hardly accessible and to create a frame of the experiences. We used MAXQDA 2022. Our research focuses on the question: What characterises visually impaired mothers’ experience and lived experiences of motherhood? According to our research, fear of passing disability on to their children plays a role in their decision-making process, although there is no ground for exclusion. Visually impaired women also experience obstetric violence. Regarding infant care and parenting, they turn to alternative techniques which they either invent themselves, learn at the particular rehabilitation module Special Techniques of Infant Care for visually impaired Persons or from other visually impaired parents. In conclusion, mothers might need alternate solutions, but this is possible.
This paper discloses how disabled people in Hungary experience and reflect on the constant changes of disability-related concepts and paradigms. Consequently, people oftentimes get lost in the fields of disability. In order to find our way and help others find theirs, I believe I must disentangle these concepts and paradigms. A personal narrative helps me illustrate the danger these entangled paradigms can cause. After examplifying the danger, I move towards the several questions the narrative provokes. Due to the complex and complicated nature of all the questions the fragment implies, I can solely highlight the ones that are reflected in the narratives I refer to. A holistic approach to the topic requires me to harmonize concepts, such as disability and ableism, thus, even readers who are less familiar with disability studies can understand the significance and messages of paradigms from moral to cultural models. Through dis/abled people’s personal narratives we all can observe and comment on the impacts of changes from segregation to belonging, from pitiable freaks to responsible mothers. Based on this holistic approach I examine how disabled persons reflect on the entangled concepts and paradigms in disability-related narratives.
