A colorful digital painting of a cornflower blue and ocean green human figure sitting cross-legged in front of a golden bird cage on a pale green background. The figure wears a graduation cap and has a pink and yellow phoenix emblazoned over their heart. Behind the figure, white sheets of paper and pink hibiscus flowers float through the air. Pink and coral roads swirl through the image. The figure sits at their crossing.

Welcome to Disability Studies

Disability Studies gives students tools to analyze how societies and individuals grapple with physical and mental differences, and explores how disability is embedded in culture and shaped by stigma and social power. (image credit)

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A deeper understanding of disability

Students increasingly recognize that gaining a deeper understanding of disability experience is a critical element in their education, and one that will help prepare them for a growing number of careers. Drawing from rich offerings in disciplines as varied as anthropology, bioethics, English, health systems administration, nursing, philosophy, psychology, theater and performance studies, theology, and women’s and gender studies, the minor in disability studies will enable students to explore this critical facet of human diversity in an in-depth fashion as it relates to their major field of study and to their professional aspirations.

Want to become a Disability Studies Minor?

We ask that all students interested in declaring the minor this Fall complete the interest form by March 31st. If you have questions, please email Professor Kukla at rk75@georgetown.edu or Professor Rifkin at lsr@georgetown.edu.

Fill Out the Interest Form

Featured Stories

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News

DS Faculty Grant Project: “Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities in Turkiye”

DS Faculty Toby Long and Sylvia Önder have received a Georgetown Global Engagement Grant to do a workshop in Turkey called “Early Intervention for Infants andToddlers with Disabilities in Turkiye”.…

October 20, 2023

Image description: Elliot sits, facing the camera and smiling. He has short, pink hair and a nose piercing and is wearing a knit, cream colored sweater. Ben stands and smiles at the camera. He has short, slightly curly brown hair and is wearing a blue suit with a red striped tie. And Dillion smiles at the camera and is wearing a black sweater. She has blonde hair that is pulled back.

News

2023 Learning in Practice Fellowships Awarded

This year, with support from the Provost’s Innovation in Teaching Award as well as generous funding from Catrina and Alessandro Guerrini-Maraldi (Parents‘24), the Disability Studies Program has granted three Learning in Practice Fellowships to Elliot Lloyd (C‘24), Ben Oestericher (SFS‘25) and Dillon Leet (L‘25).

March 6, 2023

From left to right: Lily Touret (MSB '23), Winnie Ho (CAS'25), Jamia Ross (SOH '22), LaHannah Giles (CAS'23), Natalie Price-Fudge (CAS'26)

News

Did the Suffragist Movement Rely on Racism? New Play Explores Hidden History

“‘Bitter Flower’ is about a profound conflict between Jane Addams and Ida B. Wells-Barnett,” explains Fink, a professor in the Department of English and core faculty in the Disability Studies Program. “The play asks us to confront the racist foundations of the women’s suffrage movement so a truly egalitarian movement can flower.”

November 4, 2022