Article

Postmodernism provides a radical alternative to the dominant discourses
of Western societies that emphasize autonomy and independence. It suggests a
reimagining of the relationship between the self and the body and the
increasingly blurred boundaries between biology and machine. The purpose of this
article is to explore in/dependence through a discussion of interconnectedness of persons and assistive technologies. KEY MESSAGES: Drawing on postmodern theories,
we discuss the interconnections inherent in disability experiences through the
case example of Mimi, an adolescent girl with severe physical disabilities. We
consider how Mimi, her assistive technologies and her parents can be viewed as
assemblages of bodies /technologies /subjectivities that together achieve a set of
practices. An examination of these various couplings suggests different
understandings of disability that open up possibilities for multiple connections
and reimagines dependencies as connectivities. CONCLUSIONS: Connectivity can be
embraced to explore multiple ways of being-in-the-world for all persons and
problematizes the goals of independence inherent in rehabilitation practices.

Langue : ANGLAIS