Disability in Local and Global Worlds

The purpose of this book is to present a view of disabilities all over the world; from developed countries, such as Japan and Israel, to underdeveloped or developing countries, such as Uganda and India. This book is divided into 2 parts. Part 1 focuses on living and coping with disabilities in a town or village and on what happens when a group of people with disabilities hold an event, such as the implications of their presence on the city or town, as in the case of the Deaf Word Games held in Rome. Part 2 discusses policy making and technology advancements and their availability across different countries. Disabilities mentioned throughout the book include infertility, deafness, and birth deformities, as well as several others. For instance, circumcision of women in Somalia who have since immigrated to London is discussed, demonstrating how a common practice in the country of origin becomes a disability in a new home country. Other chapter topics include the practice of Israeli parents rejecting their newborns based on genetic anomalies, or the instruction of a person with a kidney transplant who lives in a Brazilian village where native Indians believe that recipients of organs will adopt the personality of the donor. The role of traditional Indian healers and their impact on the healing process are analyzed.