Social inclusion of disabled performers in the performing arts: a case from Türkiye

• Date: 11 April 2023
• Pages: 968-985
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-02-2022-0054
• Published date: 11 April 2023
• Author: Ayse Collins,Ian Fillis,Zeynep Goknil Sanal

Social inclusion of disabled

performers in the performing

arts: a case from T€

urkiye

Ayse Collins

Faculty of Applied Sciences, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey

Ian Fillis

Liverpool Business School, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK, and

Zeynep Goknil Sanal

Faculty of Education, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding for the social inclusion of disabled

performers in a developing country to create awareness and improve policies/practices.

Design/methodology/approach –The study employed qualitative methodology, and data were collected

through semi-structured interviews, site visits/observations and review of secondary data.

Findings –The data fromdifferent respondentgroups showed thesocial inclusion shouldbe reviewed at three

levels: the state, society and individual. The review of existing policies revealed the neglect of the state regarding

disabled people in generaland even more so in performingarts due to the lack of enforcement of nationaland

international agreements. Findingsindicatethat social inclusionof disabledperformersis a minor issue,especially

in a developingcountry whereaccess to basic humanrights and needs maybe difficult. Amidstsuch difficulties,

performingarts is not seen as a prioritycompared to otherneeds of disabled peopleand performers.

Research limitations/implications –Limitations include the limited number of disabled performers who

could be identified and were willing to participate in the study. Those working in venues/public offices were

also reluctant to participate. The greatest limitation was the broad lack of interest in disabled performers.

Originality/value –In T€

urkiye, studies on disabledpeople tend to focuson basic needs like health,education

andemployment.None, to best of researchers’knowledge,explore thesocial inclusionof disabled performers. This

isan original studybecauseit collects anddiscusses primarydata onthis topic, revealingthe state-levelnegligence/

oversight, the apathy of society and the degree to which an individual with disabilities must struggle to participate

in performing arts. Consequently, this study shows the difficulty of developing social inclusion, equality and

diversity in an emerging economy for disabled performers to raise awareness and present grounds for further legal

enforcement. Moreover, implications allow for a global understanding of social inclusion that moves beyond a

biased or privileged understanding/critique of disability centered on the developed world.

Keywords Disability, Disabled performers, Performing arts, Social inclusion

Paper type Research paper

Introduction

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2020), there are 1.3 billion people

(∼17% of the overall population) who live with a significant disability. United Nations

emphasizes the inclusion of disabled people not just in healthcare but in all societal

functions –that is, social inclusion –as a priority for their wellbeing. Fujimoto et al. (2014)

investigate inclusion issues of disabled people in community arts and sports organizations,

noting that arts/sports are capable of creating inclusion. They utilize social model of

disability to explain how, in addition to medical reasons, disability is also shaped socially,

impacted upon politically and affected by organizational attitudes (Barnes et al., 2002).

Consequently, urgent attention should be given to inequality and its cultural aspects

(Lamont et al.,2014). Inequality is a broad term, and various authors have attempted to

generate definitions (e.g. Dorling, 2010;Jajtner et al., 2020;Wilkinson and Pickett, 2009;

Stiglitz et al., 2009;Piketty, 2014;Savage et al., 2014;Perrons, 2014;Shandra, 2018)

EDI

42,8

968

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

https://www.emerald.com/insight/2040-7149.htm

Received 25 February 2022

Revised 9 June 2022

7 September 2022

1 March 2023

Accepted 2 March 2023

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

An International Journal

Vol. 42 No. 8, 2023

pp. 968-985

© Emerald Publishing Limited

2040-7149

DOI 10.1108/EDI-02-2022-0054

which relate to inequalities in income, access to resources, social connections, ethnicity and

gender (Granovetter, 1995).

This paper focuses on understanding issues and dynamics surrounding the social inclusion of

performing artists with disabilities in a developing country. Social inclusion is the process of

enabling participation in society improving ability, opportunity and dignity of the disadvantaged

basedontheiridentity(World Bank Group, 2022). Accordingly, social inclusion of disab led

performers means they need to be provided with opportunities and means by which they can

participate in performing arts with equal dignity to those without disabilities.

There is growing interest in research on inclusion and diversity in arts, stemming from

wider recognition of the importance of welcoming workplaces and audiences across cultures

(e.g. Azmat et al., 2014;Parkinson and Buttrick, 2014;Alexander, 2021), but this is not always

the case in practice. Tatli and Ozbilgin (2012) examine inequality and privilege in the UK arts

and cultural sector, to show discrimination can still occur in seemingly open platforms

especially when intersectionality of oppression categories is taken into consideration.

Tatli and Ozbilgin (2012) question whether cultural sector is indeed diverse in terms of

gender, sexuality and ethnicity:

Unfortunately, the issue of disability remains invisible in the arts and cultural sector, which in turn

means that the organizations are ill prepared to offer reasonable accommodation (Tatli and Ozbilgin,

2012, p. 255).

There are several social inclusion studies examining audience diversity in the context of

museums andart galleries, in developed countries (Kuppers, 2005;Gidley et al., 2010;Lindelof,

2015). They identify social inclusion from four angles: access, participation, representation and

empowerment (Gidley et al., 2010). Among these, “access’has attracted attention since 1970s,

such as museumpolicy at state level,to now include more diverse audiences(e.g. Ames, 1985;

Moore, 1998;Sonke and Lee, 2016). A decade later, “participation”emerged, linkingsocial justice

to equitable participation in arts (Sandell, 1998,2003;e.g.Putnam, 2000).

However, scholars and state policymakers have started talking about “representation”and

“empowerment’in society, which help uncover the richness of human capabilities regarding

social contribution (Kuppers, 2005;Lindelof, 2015). Improvements have been tied to state policies

and practices from the perspective of “institutionalized patterns of cultural value expressing

equal respect for all participants”(Fraser, 2003, p. 36). Moreover, stakeholders should

understand disabilityand itsrelation to law,policy, institutions andpractices withinculturaland

legal dynamics (Goggin et al., 2017). However, most studies view disability as “something that

should be overcome instead of accommodated’and consider disabled people to be “passive

recipients”of policies (Knight, 2015). On the other hand, ableism, which is concerned with

stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination and social oppression toward disabled people, (Bogart

and Dunn, 2019) indicates that disability itself can be viewed as social, cultural and/or political

phenomena. Ableism refers to a network of beliefs, processes and practices that produce an ideal

self and body that constitute the perfect human. Disability, however, is seen as a diminished state

of “humanness”(Campbell, 2001). Ableism refers to social-level oppression, while disablism

refers to individual-level discrimination (Jun, 2018), which necessitates more resear ch to explore

art and cultural equality among people with different disabilities, ethnic groups and ages

(Parkinson and Buttrick, 2014).

Disability theory

We adopt the lens of critical disability theory for understanding social inclusion of

performing artists with disabilities in a developing country. T€

urkiye, the focal case in this

study, is an amalgam of intersecting identities where non-mainstream identities face

suppression and fear not being able to enjoy their full democratic rights (Ozturk, 2011;Yilmaz

Social inclusion

of disabled

performers

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