Contesting conceptions of disability in Javanese society after the Suharto regime: the case of Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

This study explores the contesting concepts of disability Javanese people in Yogyakarta Indonesia. Using Pierre Bourdieu's theory on habitus, field, and capital; it finds that there are four concepts of disability in Javanese society at Yogyakarta, i.e. traditional Javanese conception, Islamic conception, medical model conception, and social model conception. Javanese concept perceives disability as magic, Islamic concept believes disability as an object of charity, medical model looks at disability as an abnormality, and social model conceptualizes disability as a ―social construction‖. Those concepts are contesting each other which could strongly be seen from health and educational policies as well as public facilities. Based on those policies, the study finds that medical model is the dominant concept.