Overview

The book places the struggles for the emancipation of disabled people within the context of Bob's life journey. Born with cerebral palsy in 1951, he spent a third of his life in segregated education. But he was to go on and influence both theory and practice in many differing arenas, becoming a student leader and a scholar activist.Bob traces his experience of life, discrimination and political awakening both as an individual and as part of a specific social group. This journey links disability politics to a wider politics within students, disabled peoples, trade union and labour movements. The book concludes with sober commentary of the on-going struggle against disablement and capitalism.

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9780902869721

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More than a Left Foot is not just the autobiography of a bloke called Bob who was born with cerebral palsy and became a fully engaged passionate advocate for respecting equality, quality and access. To be sure it looks at his early home life, experience of segregated education, his finding himself at university and his subsequent emergence as an articulate champion of disabled people and battler for a better world for all. But each chapter also narrates the interaction of disabled people in the psychological, sociological, spiritual, philosophical and above all political spheres of life since the second-world war. Bob's life story is interwoven with the evolution of his profound thinking on how society relates to disabled people in its population. He applies a restless intellect to these issues. No suspect stone is left unturned. Indeed he frequently tortures himself about the accuracy of his own judgements. But these matters are never abstractly academic or mere commentary. They arise from, and in turn develop, Bob's own astute activism. The result is a book which, with considerable warmth and humour, will stimulate and challenge you to rethink many of your most 'common sense' beliefs. Paul Mackney, former General Secretary of the University and College Union More than a Left Foot is not a sentimental triumph over tragedy story about a disabled person. It is a life story which weaves together the personal story of living with an impairment with the social and political background of disabled people's struggle for emancipation alongside the twists and turns of dealing with a disabling world. As a longstanding disabled scholar activist, Bob has drawn on years on knowledge and experience to produce an insightful look at a piece of unrecorded social history. Highly recommended Colin Barnes Emeritus Professor Disability Studies, University of Leeds Thought-provoking and full of deep personal and political insights. A fantastic book about a unique strong-willed man. Highly recommended. Francesca Martinez, comedian, writer, actress - describes herself as 'wobbly'

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