“La funambule, le fil et la toile”

« La funambule, le fil et la toile. Transformations réciproques du sens du handicap (2010) » is a book written by Patrick Fougeyrollas which was published by the Presses de l’Université Laval. This book provides an overview of his personal thoughts, research work and commitment as an activist over the past 30 years. This work begins with him discussing the theoretical bases of human development and the consequences of seeing a disability as being a variation of this very development. It then presents the history of the international disability rights movement and points out Canadian and Quebec contributions and influences in this area. It then looks at major scientific and political events that have impacted international conceptual development, conceptual models and classification in the field of disability. The first part of the book ends with the political and social issues that led to adopting the Quebec policy A part … égale in the eighties.

The second part of Mr. Fougeyrollas’ book describes the Disability Creation Process (1998) and the current proposals to enhance the conceptual model. These changes led the Human Development Model – Disability Creation Process (HDM-DCP) (2010) to offer an understanding of disability in terms of human rights. Further chapters present some select pieces of his research work, in particular measuring social participation and its environmental determinants, the social representations of Quebec professionals and the identity building of people in the process of rehabilitation who are compensating for disabilities and disabling situations.

Order « La funambule, le fil et la toile : Transformations réciproques du sens du handicap »

Please note the the book is only available in french.

About Patrick Fougeyrollas

Patrick Fougeyrollas has a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Laval University, and specializes in the study of the social construction of disability. As a researcher at the Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale (CIRRIS) and associate professor at Laval University’s in the anthropology departments, Patrick Fougeyrollas is also a founding member and vice-president Quebec of the International Network on the Disability Creation Process (INDCP). He plays an active role in promoting the social and environmental dimensions of disability on various national and international expert committees regarding rehabilitation, the integration of people with disabilities, the review of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and research. Patrick Fougeyrollas also received the 2010 “On Equal Terms” Award from the Office des personnes handicapées du Québec.