Reimagining Work: Normative Commonplaces and Their Effects on Accessibility in Workplaces

Annika Konrad University of Wisconsin–Madison

Abstract

This article investigates how normative attitudes about work construct barriers to workers who are blind and visually impaired. The researcher collected narratives about rhetorical experiences from blind and visually impaired participants in the United States and analyzed accounts of these workplace interactions to identify rhetorical commonplaces that drive arguments about work. These commonplaces reveal the ableist assumptions that construct access barriers and constrain rhetorical possibilities for disabled workers’ self-advocacy. The author proposes that business and professional communication students and practitioners should engage in collaborative approaches to flexible thinking and leadership necessary for reimagining work in ways that promote accessibility.

Journal
Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
Published
2018-03-01
DOI
10.1177/2329490617752577
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (12)

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  3. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  4. Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
Show all 12 →
  1. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  2. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  3. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  4. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  5. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  6. College English
  7. Reflections: A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric

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