Towards Economic Empowerment for Disabled People: Exploring ...

cope with these tasks well, while those without are more likely to struggle
with the “resulting boredom and frustration” (ibid).
The experience of disability may also depend on specific circumstances
surrounding the disability. In terms of economic empowerment, for example,
individuals acquiring impairments later in life may have already had the
opportunity to acquire skills and work experience, and therefore have an
advantage over those who have impairments from an early age (Powers,
2008).
In summary, it is vitally important to avoid homogenization, when researching
disability issues. It is also important to take account of how local factors may
impact on various groups within the community, and on how the experience of
disability itself may vary from one individual to another. As Brisenden points
out:
“it is important that we do not allow ourselves to be dismissed as if we
all come under this one great metaphysical category ‘the disabled’.
The effect of this is a depersonalization, a sweeping dismissal of our
individuality, and a denial of our right to be seen as people with our
own uniqueness, rather than as the anonymous constituents of a
category or group” (1986, p21)
2.2 Disability and Poverty
“poverty, disability and impairment are clearly linked in a deadly
mutual embrace” (Albert et al, 2004, p13)
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