Breve storia del movimento delle persone disibili nel Regno Unito [A brief history of the movement of handicapped persons in the United Kingdom]

Although there is evidence of a longer radical tradition among groups of disabled people in Britain, for the purposes of this article the disabled people's movement is identified as emerging as a new social movement during the 1970s and 1980s. The article examines the development of this movement from its origins in the 1960s activism of individuals such as Paul Hunt and traces its growth over the following decades into areas including: campaigning for access to public services through the development of local coalitions; the emergence of the independent living movement and the campaign for direct payments; the campaign for civil rights legislation; the militancy of the Direct Action Network; the establishment of a distinctive affirmative disability culture through the disability arts movement; and the establishment of disability studies as a new academic discipline challenging oppressive research relations. In conclusion it is suggested that while a great deal has been achieved in terms of addressing disabling barriers, there still remains much to be done.