The social stone: a story of transformation from ableist to accessible topology

Investor logo

Warning

This publication doesn't include Faculty of Arts. It includes Faculty of Science. Official publication website can be found on muni.cz.
Authors

OSMAN Robert PORKERTOVÁ Hana

Year of publication 2023
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Social and Cultural Geography
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Science

Citation
Web https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14649365.2022.2073606
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2022.2073606
Keywords Accessibility; disability; topology; topography; geography; ANT
Description Using a case study of a kerb - the social stone - found at a tram traffic Island, the text demonstrates the re/production of the ableist city and analyses processes of transforming such a city into an accessible space for people with disabilities. The authors apply actor-network theory to analyse the mutual construction of space and bodies. To understand this construction, the concept of topology is used, which the article develops by introducing 'ableist' and 'accessible' topology. Unlike topography, which is in concord with able-bodied people, topology is more suitable for the analysis of space when also including non-standard bodies. Moreover, it allows the authors to analyse the mechanisms that reproduce and control the currently inaccessible city on the one hand, and it provide some room for change on the other. However, to make this change happen, a specific network must be established. To trace the associations that create such a network, the study uses in-depth interviews with involved actors collected over a ten-year period.
Related projects:

You are running an old browser version. We recommend updating your browser to its latest version.