Rethinking Disability Studies and Its Global Directions: An Interview with Lennard J. Davis

This interview with Lennard J. Davis, a leading figure in disability studies, explores the conceptual foundations and critical developments that have shaped the field over the past three decades. The conversation examines the definition of disability and the major historical models that inform its interpretation, before considering how the tension between literary representation and lived experience shapes approaches to literary analysis. It also engages with key concepts from Davis’s work, including normalcy, dismodernism, diversity, and bioculture, reflecting on their continued relevance and their reinterpretation in light of contemporary concerns. Importantly, the interview moves beyond a retrospective account of the field to address its future directions, emphasising the need for locally grounded approaches that move beyond established Anglo-American paradigms. By situating disability studies within both its historical trajectory and its emerging global contexts, the interview foregrounds the field’s ongoing transformations and its potential for further theoretical and geographical expansion.