Ethnography and Its Potential to Understand and Transform the Rehabilitation of Spinal Cord Injury

Monforte, Javier; Pérez-Samaniego, Víctor; Smith, Brett

Abstract

This chapter accounts the contributions of ethnographic work for thinking affirmatively about the rehabilitation of spinal cord injury (SCI). The first part of the chapter will provide a concise overview of ethnographic research on SCI in the context of rehabilitation, paying especial attention to research that has challenged normative assumptions and practices of ableist, recovery-oriented rehabilitation. The second part of the chapter will focus on ground-breaking ethnographic research which explores and endorses the development of affirmative connections between people with SCI and their wheelchairs. A small but significant group of rehabilitation ethnographies addressing this topic will be presented and discussed briefly. To conclude, the academic and social relevance of this area of ethnographicworkwill be discussed, and ways forward suggested.

Citation

Monforte, J., Pérez-Samaniego, V., & Smith, B. (2022). Ethnography and Its Potential to Understand and Transform the Rehabilitation of Spinal Cord Injury. In Rehabilitation in Practice: Ethnographic Perspectives (117-129). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8317-6_9

• Online Publication Date: Feb 11, 2022
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2022
• Deposit Date: Feb 22, 2025
• Pages: 117-129
• Book Title: Rehabilitation in Practice: Ethnographic Perspectives
• ISBN: 9789811683169
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8317-6_9
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3496216