Ronald Berger provides students with a comprehensive, accessible introduction to the key themes and controversies in disability studies. This innovative textbook: provides historical context, from ancient times to the present traces disability's impact throughout the life course gives prominence to the voices of people with disabilities explores popular culture's role in distorting ideas about disability addresses emerging ethical issues, such as the implications of genetic selection Illustrating the profound consequences of differing conceptions of physical, sensory, and cognitive impairments, Berger provides a solid foundation for making sense of disability as a social phenomenon.