Why do Disability Studies scholars want to use such complex, almost convoluted language when the same ideas and issues could've been distilled into less complex language?
Surely less complex formal language can be equally as powerful in its informational, argumentation and persuasive capability and in getting the point across successfully; without becoming "less scholarly".
I'm taking not one but two Disability Studies classes at U C Berkeley this semester, and while I love the lectures and discussion during class delivered by the outstanding professors here, my take on some of the "scholarly" readings are quite another thing.
In a recent reading it took many many pages before to express a simple idea. It was like going through layers of camouflage to get to that idea; jargon-ny language being the camouflage.
There are actually some very good ideas and thoughts, that make us think, reflect, think of the interconnectedness of disability justice, climate justice, animal rights, marginalization, accessibility, stigma, discrimination etc.
But these all can be unearthed only after you strip off these veneers of other language which almost get in the way. You are left with a partial feeling of annoyance, impatience and exhaustion, when your mind should be fully engrossed over the thoughts presented in these readings.
The irony: Disability Studies talks the talk about accessibility and limited-spoons in the disability community. They need to walk the walk by showing and demonstrating how scholarly language itself (including their own) can/should be accessible.
irony is that many of these reading underline societal inaccessibility as a fundamental issue. Yet these very disability study readings are the very picture of inaccessibility.
This is not a critique on other disciplines, that is a whole other discussion, but specifically disability studies.
The other question is, Does it not take extra spoons to strip off all those additional veeners to get to the gist of what the author is saying, for a "limited-spoons" disability population.
For those unfamiliar with the idea of spoons or spoon theory, its the idea that all of us have only so much bandwidth/spoons in one day. Every task takes some level of time and effort. When u are disabled, your bandwidth shrinks even more as some/much of the time is taken up by disability related challenges. You have to weigh in on where your spoons are best spent so you can carry onto successfully navigating another day.
The point: Disability Studies scholars in particular need to lead by example to demonstrate what accessibility can look like in their own work.
And I'm taking not 1 but 2 disabilities studies class this sem.
As much as I love the lectures and discussion in class taught by some amazing faculty, some of the readings are quite another issue. In one recent reading it took over many many pages to explain one simple idea. All the while I was distracted, mentally jumping impatiently, almost a little annoyed, with a, What are you trying to say? & Just get to the point please."
