Rethinking Person-Centeredness: Contestations of Disability, Care, and Culture at the Social Service Application Interface

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Oct 2019

Rethinking Person-Centeredness: Contestations of Disability, Care, and Culture at the Social Service Application Interface

Kari Campeau University of Minnesota

Abstract

This article examines how normative assumptions about disability, family, and care perpetuate barriers to social services in cross-cultural contexts. It reports on an 8-month case study of how a county-sponsored, person-centered disability grant targeted but failed to meet the needs of Somali applicants. I identify four impasses that alienated applicants and demonstrated the grant's process relied on culture norms, including medical definitions of disability, institutional expertise, and normalization of self-sufficiency. I develop three recommendations for future technical communication and policy interventions. This study offers insights into how person-centered initiatives can engage the contexts and expertise of diverse users within institutional structures.

Journal: Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published: 2019-10-01
DOI: 10.1177/0047281619871212
Open Access: Closed
Topics: qualitative research technical communication disability studies

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