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Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement
A manifesto exploding what we think we know about disability, and arguing that disabled people are the real experts when it comes to technology and disability.
When bioethicist and professor Ashley Shew became a self-described “hard-of-hearing chemobrained amputee with Crohn’s disease and tinnitus,” there was no returning to “normal.” Suddenly well-meaning people called her an “inspiration” while grocery shopping or viewed her as a needy recipient of technological wizardry. Most disabled people don’t want what the abled assume they want—nor are they generally asked. Almost everyone will experience disability at some point in their lives, yet the abled persistently frame disability as an individual’s problem rather than a social one.
In a warm, feisty voice and vibrant prose, Shew shows how we can create better narratives and more accessible futures by drawing from the insights of the cross-disability community. To forge a more equitable world, Shew argues that we must eliminate “technoableism”—the harmful belief that technology is a “solution” for disability; that the disabled simply await being “fixed” by technological wizardry; that making society more accessible and equitable is somehow a lesser priority.
This badly needed introduction to disability expertise considers mobility devices, medical infrastructure, neurodivergence, and the crucial relationship between disability and race. The future, Shew points out, is surely disabled—whether through changing climate, new diseases, or even through space travel. It’s time we looked closely at how we all think about disability technologies and learn to envision disabilities not as liabilities, but as skill sets enabling all of us to navigate a challenging world.
When bioethicist and professor Ashley Shew became a self-described “hard-of-hearing chemobrained amputee with Crohn’s disease and tinnitus,” there was no returning to “normal.” Suddenly well-meaning people called her an “inspiration” while grocery shopping or viewed her as a needy recipient of technological wizardry. Most disabled people don’t want what the abled assume they want—nor are they generally asked. Almost everyone will experience disability at some point in their lives, yet the abled persistently frame disability as an individual’s problem rather than a social one.
In a warm, feisty voice and vibrant prose, Shew shows how we can create better narratives and more accessible futures by drawing from the insights of the cross-disability community. To forge a more equitable world, Shew argues that we must eliminate “technoableism”—the harmful belief that technology is a “solution” for disability; that the disabled simply await being “fixed” by technological wizardry; that making society more accessible and equitable is somehow a lesser priority.
This badly needed introduction to disability expertise considers mobility devices, medical infrastructure, neurodivergence, and the crucial relationship between disability and race. The future, Shew points out, is surely disabled—whether through changing climate, new diseases, or even through space travel. It’s time we looked closely at how we all think about disability technologies and learn to envision disabilities not as liabilities, but as skill sets enabling all of us to navigate a challenging world.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published September 19, 2023
About the author
Ashley Shew
6 books20 followersAshley Shew is an associate professor of science, technology, and society at Virginia Tech, and specializes in disability studies and technology ethics. Her books include Against Technoableism, Animal Constructions, and Technological Knowledge and Spaces for the Future (coedited). She lives in Blacksburg, Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
June 8, 2023
As a paraplegic/double amputee with spina bifida who is now also dealing with bladder cancer, I found myself captivated by Ashley Shew's passionate and well informed disability manifesto "Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement."
Just today, I was having a conversation with my supervisor about internalized ableism and my tendency, especially since my cancer diagnosis, to apologize for my disability within the work setting.
Ugh.
At less than 200 pages, "Against Technoableism" is a relentless, breathlessly paced, and well structured exploration of exactly why we need to eliminate technoableism - "the harmful belief that technology is a “solution” for disability; that the disabled simply await being “fixed” by technological wizardry; that making society more accessible and equitable is somehow a lesser priority."
Quoting many of the top voices in disability, including many of whom I consider friends, Shew has crafted an invaluable resource and introduction to disability expertise that considers mobility devices, medical infrastructure, neurodivergence, and the crucial relationship between disability and race. Even as someone with a lifelong disability, I found "Against Technoableism" informative and incredibly engaging.
I will confess that I occasionally found "Against Technoableism" so fast-paced that it was confusing with a narrative structure that transcended technoableism and entered culture, disability history, and much more. For example, while I've long known about the connection between the Nazis and disability Shew added layers of depth that will prove enlightening to nearly all but those who've truly researched the subject.
Shew truly raises the valuable question "Who needs improvement?" with "Against Technoableism," a pushing back against the frequent narrative that the disabled simply are awaiting being "fixed" by technological wizardry rather than being uniquely equipped to navigate a challenging world.
Ashley Shew is an associate professor of science, technology, and society at Virginia Tech, and specializes in disability studies and technology ethics and who recognizes that the future is disabled and creating a more accessible future is vital.
"Against Technoableism" is incredibly insightful, frequently funny, narratively fierce, and absolutely uncompromising. In other words, it's the kind of book you won't be able to stop thinking about and you'll absolutely want to share.
Just today, I was having a conversation with my supervisor about internalized ableism and my tendency, especially since my cancer diagnosis, to apologize for my disability within the work setting.
Ugh.
At less than 200 pages, "Against Technoableism" is a relentless, breathlessly paced, and well structured exploration of exactly why we need to eliminate technoableism - "the harmful belief that technology is a “solution” for disability; that the disabled simply await being “fixed” by technological wizardry; that making society more accessible and equitable is somehow a lesser priority."
Quoting many of the top voices in disability, including many of whom I consider friends, Shew has crafted an invaluable resource and introduction to disability expertise that considers mobility devices, medical infrastructure, neurodivergence, and the crucial relationship between disability and race. Even as someone with a lifelong disability, I found "Against Technoableism" informative and incredibly engaging.
I will confess that I occasionally found "Against Technoableism" so fast-paced that it was confusing with a narrative structure that transcended technoableism and entered culture, disability history, and much more. For example, while I've long known about the connection between the Nazis and disability Shew added layers of depth that will prove enlightening to nearly all but those who've truly researched the subject.
Shew truly raises the valuable question "Who needs improvement?" with "Against Technoableism," a pushing back against the frequent narrative that the disabled simply are awaiting being "fixed" by technological wizardry rather than being uniquely equipped to navigate a challenging world.
Ashley Shew is an associate professor of science, technology, and society at Virginia Tech, and specializes in disability studies and technology ethics and who recognizes that the future is disabled and creating a more accessible future is vital.
"Against Technoableism" is incredibly insightful, frequently funny, narratively fierce, and absolutely uncompromising. In other words, it's the kind of book you won't be able to stop thinking about and you'll absolutely want to share.
December 24, 2023
[3.5 stars] Essays from a disabled and neurodivergent professor that complicate the rise of technology as a solution to the existence of disability and impairment.
In general, I think this book has some solid central theses: Disability exists in the future. Efforts to eliminate physical, mental, intellectual, or developmental disability are rooted in ableism and eugenics. Technology and science are not and should not be used or relied upon to control, decrease, or eliminate the prevalence of disability or neurodivergence, especially by non-abled people and society. It also does a decent job of introducing readers to key frameworks and concepts, like neurodivergence, common tropes, and the medical and social models of disability, and connecting the author’s personal experiences to disability rights and accessibility arguments.
Where I think there are gaps are in attribution and intersectional analysis. Many of the ideas shared are taken from Disability Justice theory, yet DJ is only mentioned by name once early on before a brief listing of its principles a few pages before the end. I think both the writing and editing processes could’ve given more space to DJ history in the chapter on foundational knowledge, especially since the core theses so heavily rely on its scholarship without full recognition of its influence. There was also an opportunity to infuse an intentional anti-capitalist lens into discussions about cost, self-determination, and worth / humanity. And while mentions of race and gender are scattered throughout, I thought the analysis could’ve gone deeper and the history rooting ableism in white supremacy and anti-Blackness could’ve been presented earlier.
Potentially recommended to supplement QT/BIPOC-authored disability access and justice writing, especially for those interested in exploring the ethics of technology, science, and innovation.
Goodreads Challenge 2023: 46/52
In general, I think this book has some solid central theses: Disability exists in the future. Efforts to eliminate physical, mental, intellectual, or developmental disability are rooted in ableism and eugenics. Technology and science are not and should not be used or relied upon to control, decrease, or eliminate the prevalence of disability or neurodivergence, especially by non-abled people and society. It also does a decent job of introducing readers to key frameworks and concepts, like neurodivergence, common tropes, and the medical and social models of disability, and connecting the author’s personal experiences to disability rights and accessibility arguments.
Where I think there are gaps are in attribution and intersectional analysis. Many of the ideas shared are taken from Disability Justice theory, yet DJ is only mentioned by name once early on before a brief listing of its principles a few pages before the end. I think both the writing and editing processes could’ve given more space to DJ history in the chapter on foundational knowledge, especially since the core theses so heavily rely on its scholarship without full recognition of its influence. There was also an opportunity to infuse an intentional anti-capitalist lens into discussions about cost, self-determination, and worth / humanity. And while mentions of race and gender are scattered throughout, I thought the analysis could’ve gone deeper and the history rooting ableism in white supremacy and anti-Blackness could’ve been presented earlier.
Potentially recommended to supplement QT/BIPOC-authored disability access and justice writing, especially for those interested in exploring the ethics of technology, science, and innovation.
Goodreads Challenge 2023: 46/52
July 29, 2024
rating: 4.25
incredibly eye-opening and informative. super fast read and very digestible, even as audio (for me).
this examines the lack of actual disabled input on media, medicine, and technology for and about disabilities, which is currently mostly controlled and headed by abled folks.
def on my shortlist of "must-read nonfic recs" for all readers, esp abled.
check TWs as there are various forms of ableism, injury, medical trauma, etc. discussed as related.
incredibly eye-opening and informative. super fast read and very digestible, even as audio (for me).
this examines the lack of actual disabled input on media, medicine, and technology for and about disabilities, which is currently mostly controlled and headed by abled folks.
def on my shortlist of "must-read nonfic recs" for all readers, esp abled.
check TWs as there are various forms of ableism, injury, medical trauma, etc. discussed as related.
March 5, 2024
I loved this book and I have a lot of notes on it and I think it deserves more reads. It felt like an easy read as well as a quick one. I feel like this book was made for me. I appreciated such a vast array of ideas in such a small book, while keeping it both informative and accessible. The focus on media (and the mention of my favorite author Le Guin) helped me realize how to fully realize disabled characters in my fiction.
I also liked the relation to other disabled writings like The Future is Disabled. There was a general appreciation for disabled voices because so often they're ignored. Listen to them. They know what they need more than nondisabled people.
I also liked the relation to other disabled writings like The Future is Disabled. There was a general appreciation for disabled voices because so often they're ignored. Listen to them. They know what they need more than nondisabled people.
June 28, 2024
Concise, informative, and easily digestible.
This book explores ableism as it permeates in how we consume certain “inspirational” social media posts, express specific language regarding the topic of disability, and dives into the future of disability.
This was fantastic and very eye-opening on certain topics that I hadn’t considered before- especially in the world of astronauts ???
CW: recurring references to ableist abuse, medical abuse/discrimination, the holocaust, genocide, violence, medical trauma
This book explores ableism as it permeates in how we consume certain “inspirational” social media posts, express specific language regarding the topic of disability, and dives into the future of disability.
This was fantastic and very eye-opening on certain topics that I hadn’t considered before- especially in the world of astronauts ???
CW: recurring references to ableist abuse, medical abuse/discrimination, the holocaust, genocide, violence, medical trauma
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645808644i/7494844._UX200_CR0,6,200,200_.jpg)
June 12, 2024
Yes, 100% this.
Why should we adapt the individual to fit what is considered "normal" instead of adapting the world and ourselves? A community versus individual approach to design and life, that embraces, acknowledges and accommodates difference and disability instead of trying to mask or hide it away.
Why does the "solution" often require conformity that is painful to the user, so that their surrounding neighbors can be comfortable?
Lots of questions raised, with the nod that while lots of technology is really, really helpful, it's only good technology when the community being "helped" is part of the design and testing process instead of just the endpoint wearers. Also, cost, access, and the weariness of wear (hearing aids in public spaces, prosthetics for appearance vs functionality) are all factors that are rarely considered when presenting the story of a disabled person regaining something considered essential to function (note: it's generally not essential, just considered essential to able-bodied people...see: walking without mobility aids, or holding still to avoid stimming and being seen as fidgety).
Are we really accommodating disability, or are we prioritizing able-bodied comfort over disabled access?
Highly recommended this quick read on disability justice.
Why should we adapt the individual to fit what is considered "normal" instead of adapting the world and ourselves? A community versus individual approach to design and life, that embraces, acknowledges and accommodates difference and disability instead of trying to mask or hide it away.
Why does the "solution" often require conformity that is painful to the user, so that their surrounding neighbors can be comfortable?
Lots of questions raised, with the nod that while lots of technology is really, really helpful, it's only good technology when the community being "helped" is part of the design and testing process instead of just the endpoint wearers. Also, cost, access, and the weariness of wear (hearing aids in public spaces, prosthetics for appearance vs functionality) are all factors that are rarely considered when presenting the story of a disabled person regaining something considered essential to function (note: it's generally not essential, just considered essential to able-bodied people...see: walking without mobility aids, or holding still to avoid stimming and being seen as fidgety).
Are we really accommodating disability, or are we prioritizing able-bodied comfort over disabled access?
Highly recommended this quick read on disability justice.
Read
July 3, 2024I've seen a lot of positive response around this book. I like her approachability and the interest she's generating in Disability Studies. Shew argues that disabled people have been kept out of the conversation regarding the technology that's made for them. She says "technoableism is a belief that considers the elimination of disability a good thing, something we should strive for. It's a classic form of ableism—bias against disabled people, bias in favor of nondisabled ways of life. Technoableism is the use of technologies to reassert those biases, often under the guise of empowerment." She has some examples that effectively show this. Cochlear implants imposed on children. Certain prosthetics pushed on amputees or that a prosthetic must be used at all. She reaches into history to show how Hans Asperger worked with the Nazis and only wished to save certain autistic people. The ones he deemed worth of saving. For such a short book though I found it a bit meandering at times and then at other times where she could have explained more, she didn't. For example, Shew references Universal Design and its principles without ever explaining to the audience what Universal Design is and how it would apply to technoableism. This feels especially egregious when her whole argument pushes for society to change (the social model) and not the indvidual, which is kind of the point of Universal Design. For a book that's operating as an overview and speaking to an audience where this might be their first time reading from Disability Studies, this book feels like a missed opportunity.
May 8, 2023
By focusing on disability as an individual problem, not a social one, abled people often focus on disability technologies as the "solution" to eliminate the disability altogether. But what do disabled people think? This insightful (and compact) overview of disability, ableism, and the role of tech in the lives of disabled people is a real eye-opener. Though many disabled people may rely on tech to help them live their lives, they take a different approach to the tech, aware of the many unresolved concerns about those technologies and learning to piece together different types of technology appropriate to different needs and situations in their lives.
This book really helps to unpack the various ways ableism prevents us from seeing how tech might or might not be beneficial to disabled people, and it stresses the point that the experts on disability are the people who experience it -- and that we need to listen to the voices of disabled people to address the ways they still feel left out of society today.
An excellent addition to the growing body of work centering disabled voices and perspectives. 5 stars.
Thank you, W. W. Norton and Company and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.
This book really helps to unpack the various ways ableism prevents us from seeing how tech might or might not be beneficial to disabled people, and it stresses the point that the experts on disability are the people who experience it -- and that we need to listen to the voices of disabled people to address the ways they still feel left out of society today.
An excellent addition to the growing body of work centering disabled voices and perspectives. 5 stars.
Thank you, W. W. Norton and Company and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.
June 28, 2024
A fantastic short nonfiction book with a fantastic cover stuffed with useful, accessible information. I feel like this book worked its way inside me and pushed on all these assumptions and biases I did not realize I had from the inside out.
Shew gives a frank primer on disability, including common harmful tropes, the medical vs. social model, cross-disability communities, and historic examples of how disabled people have been and are currently targeted as “drains on the system.”
I grew up watching Extreme Home Makeover, and distinctly remember a reveal where everyone cried watching a wheelchair-using family member walk again using some new-fangled technology. Much like every other aspect of Extreme Home Makeover, it turns out that was a tacky veneer slapped over ruining the lives of an already struggling family, but we do not have time to talk about Extreme Home Makeover any more than I already have in this Goodreads review. Because it is time to talk about Maintenance Phase.
Maintenance Phase is a podcast about wellness culture and fatphobia. It zeroes in on the idea that sometimes people say they are commenting on others’ weight out of concern for their health. Yet, many of the medical treatments fat people are subjected to, cause new and serious health issues (example: prescription weight loss pills that could only be prescribed for a few months due to cardiac and neurological problems).
Ableism and fatphobia are closely intertwined, as both rest on the idea that health can be ascertained based on outward appearance. This is false in and of itself, but the entire thing crumbles in on itself like an Extreme Home Makeover horse stable themed children’s bedroom when the interventions detract from the health of people others are supposedly so invested in.
Until this book, I had never thought about the idea that technology can or even should aim to solve (and thus, eliminate) disability. The section on outer space was way more interesting than I thought it would be. I loved reading this alongside Doppelganger (even though, spoiler alert, I liked this more), as the accounts at times corroborate each other, and both draw on fictional texts. I would also recommend this to fans of Disability Visibility, Assata, Devon Price, and Angela Davis.
Shew gives a frank primer on disability, including common harmful tropes, the medical vs. social model, cross-disability communities, and historic examples of how disabled people have been and are currently targeted as “drains on the system.”
I grew up watching Extreme Home Makeover, and distinctly remember a reveal where everyone cried watching a wheelchair-using family member walk again using some new-fangled technology. Much like every other aspect of Extreme Home Makeover, it turns out that was a tacky veneer slapped over ruining the lives of an already struggling family, but we do not have time to talk about Extreme Home Makeover any more than I already have in this Goodreads review. Because it is time to talk about Maintenance Phase.
Maintenance Phase is a podcast about wellness culture and fatphobia. It zeroes in on the idea that sometimes people say they are commenting on others’ weight out of concern for their health. Yet, many of the medical treatments fat people are subjected to, cause new and serious health issues (example: prescription weight loss pills that could only be prescribed for a few months due to cardiac and neurological problems).
Ableism and fatphobia are closely intertwined, as both rest on the idea that health can be ascertained based on outward appearance. This is false in and of itself, but the entire thing crumbles in on itself like an Extreme Home Makeover horse stable themed children’s bedroom when the interventions detract from the health of people others are supposedly so invested in.
Until this book, I had never thought about the idea that technology can or even should aim to solve (and thus, eliminate) disability. The section on outer space was way more interesting than I thought it would be. I loved reading this alongside Doppelganger (even though, spoiler alert, I liked this more), as the accounts at times corroborate each other, and both draw on fictional texts. I would also recommend this to fans of Disability Visibility, Assata, Devon Price, and Angela Davis.
March 8, 2024
This is an excellent short book that packs a lot in of good introductory information in, but shares it accessibly. Because of how short and concise it is, it falls into one of those books I'd recommend to everyone and wish everyone would read- especially able-bodied and neurotypical people. It's a great intro to ableism and how technology and spaces are not designed for disabled people and if they are they are designed to "fix" disabled people and make them fit in as an able bodied person would, because.... Capitalism. It's also a great explanation of how being "able bodied" is temporary. Well worth your time to pick this one up.
For me personally, as a disabled and autistic person, I would have liked it to go more in-depth, but I accept it for what it is and does (short and concise books are also important to have available!) and it is a valuable installment of books on disability and ableism. I appreciate that the book is written so that the chapters can be read in any order, and the audiobook was excellent and I ended up reading it in one day since it was only 4 hours.
For me personally, as a disabled and autistic person, I would have liked it to go more in-depth, but I accept it for what it is and does (short and concise books are also important to have available!) and it is a valuable installment of books on disability and ableism. I appreciate that the book is written so that the chapters can be read in any order, and the audiobook was excellent and I ended up reading it in one day since it was only 4 hours.
January 2, 2024
3.5 stars. Worth a read for a good overview/introduction on an important topic. There was a fair amount of redundancy, especially for something so short, and a few places where I thought the point got a bit lost.
August 15, 2023
*4.5
Against Technoableism is a fantastic read for anyone who wants a good introduction to ableism as well as how society sees technology as a way to "fix" disabilities. I really enjoyed Ashley Shew's straightforwardness but I do wish the book had slowed down a bit with its pacing.
Against Technoableism is a fantastic read for anyone who wants a good introduction to ableism as well as how society sees technology as a way to "fix" disabilities. I really enjoyed Ashley Shew's straightforwardness but I do wish the book had slowed down a bit with its pacing.
November 8, 2023
I agree with her premise and some of her arguments. However, the book’s structure detracts from the thesis. The author includes lots of information, but it’s very disorganized. It’s disappointing, because I think her message is incredibly important.
May 27, 2024
Dr. Shew's book resonated with me on so many levels as a person with a disability. She articulates so well many ideas and concepts that I have had throughout my life. And I absolutely love how she is unapologetic yet methodical in explaining important concepts in the disability community. I learned so much from this book as is evidenced by my many, many highlights.
Dr. Shew uses the example of technology to demonstrate how society focuses on "fixing" disability rather than accepting and celebrating differences. This idea of technology curing disability is ableist at its core. It's using the nondisabled way of life as the norm or standard to measure all others. A critical point is the idea that this technology is created without the input of disabled persons - the real experts. Dr. Shew also gives an excellent overview of the Disability Justice movement and the history of disability. Her chapter on neurodiversity was eye-opening.
This is a topic I'm obviously very passionate about so I apologize for the scattered thoughts in this review. This book reinforces the idea that disability is not tragic. It feels good to read a book about disability, written by a person with a disability that reinforces the idea that disability is an intrinsic part of me. I highly recommend this book!
Dr. Shew uses the example of technology to demonstrate how society focuses on "fixing" disability rather than accepting and celebrating differences. This idea of technology curing disability is ableist at its core. It's using the nondisabled way of life as the norm or standard to measure all others. A critical point is the idea that this technology is created without the input of disabled persons - the real experts. Dr. Shew also gives an excellent overview of the Disability Justice movement and the history of disability. Her chapter on neurodiversity was eye-opening.
This is a topic I'm obviously very passionate about so I apologize for the scattered thoughts in this review. This book reinforces the idea that disability is not tragic. It feels good to read a book about disability, written by a person with a disability that reinforces the idea that disability is an intrinsic part of me. I highly recommend this book!
April 9, 2024
This manifesto was just what I needed. It explores what people think they know about disability and how it's disabled people we should be listening to, as they are the real experts when it comes to technology and their own disability.
Written by bioethicist and professor Ashley Shew who is a self-described “hard-of-hearing chemobrained amputee with Crohn’s disease and tinnitus,” this is a book I think everyone should read. This synopsis describes the book perfectly:
This badly needed introduction to disability expertise considers mobility devices, medical infrastructure, neurodivergence, and the crucial relationship between disability and race. The future, Shew points out, is surely disabled—whether through changing climate, new diseases, or even through space travel. It’s time we looked closely at how we all think about disability technologies and learn to envision disabilities not as liabilities, but as skill sets enabling all of us to navigate a challenging world.
An amazing five-star read that I will definitely be buying a copy of to highlight. Below are two quotes that really stuck with me:
But for many [...] neurodivergent people, it's crucial to see themselves as part of the larger disability community.
Many of us also carry multiple diagnoses and other chronic conditions; and some physical disabilities and conditions are correlated to neurodivergence. For instance, autistic people have higher occurrences of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a collagen disorder, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition impacting blood flow and balance, and digestive issues with related gut pain.
Something I've been thinking about for a while in regards to the first quote is that while I'm disabled for many reasons, one of those reasons is because of my neurodivergence. My OCD, anxiety, ADHD, and autism can, at times, be very debilitating. And while I am all for people disagreeing about their own experiences, sometimes the feeling I get from other neurodivergent people is that because they don't see theirs as a disability that I shouldn't see mine as one either and that is not okay.
Every person is different, and you can't tell someone that what they consider a disability isn't just because it isn't to you. That goes beyond your personal experiences and into denying other people's lived experiences and veers into ableism. Remember, just because you're neurodivergent doesn't mean you can't be ableist too.
Written by bioethicist and professor Ashley Shew who is a self-described “hard-of-hearing chemobrained amputee with Crohn’s disease and tinnitus,” this is a book I think everyone should read. This synopsis describes the book perfectly:
This badly needed introduction to disability expertise considers mobility devices, medical infrastructure, neurodivergence, and the crucial relationship between disability and race. The future, Shew points out, is surely disabled—whether through changing climate, new diseases, or even through space travel. It’s time we looked closely at how we all think about disability technologies and learn to envision disabilities not as liabilities, but as skill sets enabling all of us to navigate a challenging world.
An amazing five-star read that I will definitely be buying a copy of to highlight. Below are two quotes that really stuck with me:
But for many [...] neurodivergent people, it's crucial to see themselves as part of the larger disability community.
Many of us also carry multiple diagnoses and other chronic conditions; and some physical disabilities and conditions are correlated to neurodivergence. For instance, autistic people have higher occurrences of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a collagen disorder, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition impacting blood flow and balance, and digestive issues with related gut pain.
Something I've been thinking about for a while in regards to the first quote is that while I'm disabled for many reasons, one of those reasons is because of my neurodivergence. My OCD, anxiety, ADHD, and autism can, at times, be very debilitating. And while I am all for people disagreeing about their own experiences, sometimes the feeling I get from other neurodivergent people is that because they don't see theirs as a disability that I shouldn't see mine as one either and that is not okay.
Every person is different, and you can't tell someone that what they consider a disability isn't just because it isn't to you. That goes beyond your personal experiences and into denying other people's lived experiences and veers into ableism. Remember, just because you're neurodivergent doesn't mean you can't be ableist too.
February 17, 2024
A must read in disability literature that looks at every aspect of society and it’s role in technology being made to “fix” us while never really even being marketed to or accessible to us for a variety of frankly unfair and arbritrary reasons. A lot of this has to do with societies perception of disabled people as a whole, but includes other factors like race and gender.
if you know someone with a disability, physical, sensory, mental ect, please read this book instead of asking me why I don’t qualify for SSI. 😂
if you know someone with a disability, physical, sensory, mental ect, please read this book instead of asking me why I don’t qualify for SSI. 😂
April 3, 2024
A short, well written book on issues of people with disabilities. It's actually bizarre how the modern day world is constantly trying to "fix" disabilities, something I hadn't really realized before.
The book is quite short, and so it glances over quite a few things and explanations that would have been useful for beginners in the topic (various disability-related terms are not really explained). The most important take-away is in my opinion the (very minimal) role of people with disabilities in decisions made to cater to people with disabilities. The disabled people are the experts, and should be listened to, but often the people who try to "solve the problems" have no in depth experience with the disabilities they are trying to fix.
The book is quite short, and so it glances over quite a few things and explanations that would have been useful for beginners in the topic (various disability-related terms are not really explained). The most important take-away is in my opinion the (very minimal) role of people with disabilities in decisions made to cater to people with disabilities. The disabled people are the experts, and should be listened to, but often the people who try to "solve the problems" have no in depth experience with the disabilities they are trying to fix.
July 15, 2024
this is a fantastic, accessible introduction to foundational bits of disability culture and principles of disability justice. my brain fog makes most books on crip theory, ironically, very hard to get through, and this was a refreshingly precise, simple text!! against technoableism will be top of my recommendations list when people ask for a great intro to disability justice work.
February 4, 2024
4.5⭐ on 🎧
One of those short books that packs a punch in thinking about how much technology, treatment and other "solutions" for disabled people are designed assuming they must normalize into society and adhere to its standards compared to celebrating the amazing community, culture and skills the disability community has created and thrives today. Read this to be a better person in the world to all fellow humans!
One of those short books that packs a punch in thinking about how much technology, treatment and other "solutions" for disabled people are designed assuming they must normalize into society and adhere to its standards compared to celebrating the amazing community, culture and skills the disability community has created and thrives today. Read this to be a better person in the world to all fellow humans!
July 23, 2024
It’s halfway through hour 13 of the 24 hour reading challenge, after a 2+ hour dinner break, a few Chappell Roan concerts, and laughing so hard some of us (cough cough, Jaye) fell down the stairs, I managed to finish this work.
Honestly, it wasn’t chock full of new information, at least not as much as I was hoping. Perhaps that comes from studying ASL and deaf culture for 4 years, as audism is a branch of ableism, or having a tight-knit group of neurodivergent, mentally, and physically disabled friends, but either way I was not shocked by any statement Shew was making. However, I can see others’ experience with this book being totally different, had they not come from that background.
What I got out of it the most was future book, essay, and article recommendations that expand on points Shew may have noted with a sentence or two, all of which I am very excited to explore, as well as Shew’s own anecdotes. Some were very relatable and almost heartwarming, while some highlighted how her and her friends had been alienated, abused, and neglected due to their disabilities. But in the end, no matter how frustrating or emotional, these personal touches truly tied the book together and kept me reading all night.
Honestly, it wasn’t chock full of new information, at least not as much as I was hoping. Perhaps that comes from studying ASL and deaf culture for 4 years, as audism is a branch of ableism, or having a tight-knit group of neurodivergent, mentally, and physically disabled friends, but either way I was not shocked by any statement Shew was making. However, I can see others’ experience with this book being totally different, had they not come from that background.
What I got out of it the most was future book, essay, and article recommendations that expand on points Shew may have noted with a sentence or two, all of which I am very excited to explore, as well as Shew’s own anecdotes. Some were very relatable and almost heartwarming, while some highlighted how her and her friends had been alienated, abused, and neglected due to their disabilities. But in the end, no matter how frustrating or emotional, these personal touches truly tied the book together and kept me reading all night.
July 30, 2024
3.5!
However I will say my personal rating is 3.5 instead of 5 because I’ve already read a few different papers/book excerpts about disability justice (shout-out to Scripps core classes lol) and learned most of what Shew discusses as the autism/ADHD-driven “neurodivergent resistance” in Chapter 5 through tiktok (it’s true but also it feels so embarrassing to say I learned something through tiktok in this context omg 💀), so some of this book was a little repetitive for me in that regard. For someone with little to no exposure to this subject I think this book could easily be 5 stars! Aside from that tho I loved the personal stories/experiences that Shew shares, and reading this really opened my eyes to the history behind who is considered disabled, as well as the struggles people face surrounding prosthetics and other aids.
Overall, I definitely recommend! This book is short but touches on a lot of important topics, and for anyone who hasn’t experienced the perspective shift of “disability is not a problem to be “solved”, and many of the day-to-day struggles attached to disability are a product of how we view disability and consequently how western society is built and structured” (Shew explains this so much better than I can abfkfnskcns) I cannot recommend this enough.
However I will say my personal rating is 3.5 instead of 5 because I’ve already read a few different papers/book excerpts about disability justice (shout-out to Scripps core classes lol) and learned most of what Shew discusses as the autism/ADHD-driven “neurodivergent resistance” in Chapter 5 through tiktok (it’s true but also it feels so embarrassing to say I learned something through tiktok in this context omg 💀), so some of this book was a little repetitive for me in that regard. For someone with little to no exposure to this subject I think this book could easily be 5 stars! Aside from that tho I loved the personal stories/experiences that Shew shares, and reading this really opened my eyes to the history behind who is considered disabled, as well as the struggles people face surrounding prosthetics and other aids.
Overall, I definitely recommend! This book is short but touches on a lot of important topics, and for anyone who hasn’t experienced the perspective shift of “disability is not a problem to be “solved”, and many of the day-to-day struggles attached to disability are a product of how we view disability and consequently how western society is built and structured” (Shew explains this so much better than I can abfkfnskcns) I cannot recommend this enough.
February 4, 2024
This was such a great, short book that gets to the point about disability technologies and who exactly benefits from what is currently available, and asks us to imagine different disabled futures. I really enjoyed learning about the amputee technologies, as that's something I haven't had experience with in my work or close relationships. The chapter about neurodiversity and autistic technologies was so well said and managed to be concise while also fully fleshing out the many arguments against our current systems (namely ABA "therapy") that endeavor towards normalcy in the eyes of the allistics, at the cost of autistic personhood. Overall, a really great book that I would recommend for people who are new to disability studies/disability justice, as well as those seasoned in the topic.
August 4, 2024
This book has a GORGEOUS cover and coins a really important term: technoableism, the belief that it is desirable/possible to “fix” disabilities with technology. Shaw focuses mostly on limb differences (she is an amputee) and on neurodivergence. There are lots of well-intentioned but somewhat misguided engineering students trying to invent new prosthetics out there! I was surprised this book didn’t talk more about Deaf culture—advocacy against cochlear implants and for the vibrancy of sign language seemed like such a clear example of the book’s thesis, worthy of a deeper dive/a dedicated chapter. Though it’s on the shorter side, the book did feature a chapter on disabled people in space that I really enjoyed. Folks with mobility issues, visual impairment, or ostomies might be some of the best-suited to thrive in zero gravity. All in all, I took away a lot of cool, thought-provoking insights from this book. Let’s keep talking about disability justice as a society!
August 31, 2024
Very eye opening book on the current state of disability and its relation to the technological apparatus that tries to "solve" bodies that don't fit into societal norms. The future is disabled, both in the sense that disability is a very common aspect of individual aging and, as our world changes, an ever increasing norm. We should listen more attentively to those who are already living that future today. Great read with tons of heart and humor!
February 5, 2024
The sort of book I wish everyone would read. Our biases around disability run very deep, to the extent that we rarely question why we encourage disabled people to utilize technology to fit in to the existing built world and not the other way around. This book provides an essential paradigm shift in an approachable way.
March 24, 2024
This was really interesting!!!! I loved the concept & thought that the central argument was strong. It felt slightly unfinished to me or maybe more like a collection of essays than a full book, but I learned a lot & would definitely recommend because it packs a ton of info into a short amount of pages (my copy was 180)
February 1, 2024
just so good
April 29, 2024
I found this book to be an engaging and approachable introduction to an intersection between STS and disability justice studies. I’m excited to learn more!
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January 20, 2024Lots to like here, and lots of information to digest. Strongest points include the fact that disabled people are the true experts on their disabilities; the fact that attempting to eradicate all disability is deeply ableist and rooted in eugenics; and that experiencing disability at some point in our lives is a foregone conclusion for most of us. Shew’s voice is super engaging, and the audiobook narration was well done. I wish there was more of a deep dive on some of the topics she covered, and the ending felt a little abrupt. All in all, I think this is a really important read and I recommend it for anyone wanting to be a better, more informed ally to disabled people. To that end, I’d also recommend ��Demystifying Disability” by Emily Ladau.
July 12, 2024
An excellent introduction into the relationship between technology and ableism that was accessible and thorough. All of the chapters were thoughtfully written with information and takeaways that I found thought provoking. I wanted to know more about how mental illnesses interacted with technoableism and some other topics that were mentioned but that curiosity did not meaningfully detract from my overall enjoyment of this book. Definitely a great resource for anyone who wants to know more about technoableism and disability justice and for educators who want to discuss these topics with their students.
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