I got an ARC copy of this book, and I devoured it. Against Technoableism has elements of memoir, as the author becomes disabled in her adult life, but is essentially a manifesto on how disability tech so often leaves out those who would be using it, as well as generally working to make disability less visible. Tech aimed at those who are disabled works to make that person as “normal” as possible- things like robot suits to allow those without leg control to walk, as opposed to just adding ramps and making facilities accessible to those who use wheelchairs for whatever reason. Many of the projects being funded for disability tech move like this, aiming to make disability a thing of the past. By and large, those who develop tech for disabled people ignore the very people they’re developing for- making solutions to things that aren’t major problems or making them in such a way that it’s not beneficial.

Technoableism is essentially using technology as a form of ableism- developing tech to serve the ideas of those without current disability, as opposed to making the world more accessible and inclusive to those with disabilities. To use the book’s own words, Technoableism is “the harmful belief that technology is a “solution” for disability; that the disabled simply await being “fixed” by technological wizardry; that making society more accessible and equitable is somehow a lesser priority.”

I would definitely suggest it for those living with disability or those who work with disabled people.

"Against Technoableism" by Ashley Shew is an eye-opening read that challenges the way we think about technology and disability. Shew's insightful arguments and personal anecdotes make complex ideas accessible and engaging. It's a must-read for anyone interested in tech, ethics, or social justice, offering a fresh perspective that's both thought-provoking and impactful.

In this concise yet powerful manifesto, Shew challenges the pervasive narrative that portrays disability as an individual problem to be fixed by technological advancements. Through a blend of personal anecdotes, rigorous research, and insightful analysis, she highlights the voices of disabled individuals who are often sidelined in discussions about their own needs and experiences.

One of the book's most compelling arguments is the concept of "technoableism"—the harmful belief that technology alone can remedy the challenges faced by disabled people. Shew eloquently demonstrates how this mindset perpetuates ableist attitudes and overlooks the complex social and structural barriers that contribute to disability exclusion.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Before I broke my leg, I thought I understood disability. I lived with mental illness, I grew up with people who dealt with diabetes, and I understood that disability requirements were necessary for the public.

After my surgery, and during my year of recovery, I was extremely frustrated with my physical limitations. Automatic doors seemed very slow and closed quickly. I could not walk well without at least one crutch. I had a functional manual wheelchair that was comfortable for my job as a librarian, but I also hated it sometimes. The world is not designed for disabled people. I was lucky to be in my 20s when all this happened, but it was still very hard.

In Against Technoableism, Ashley Shew argues that the solution to incorporate people with disabilities into private and public spaces does not lie with "fixing" the disability. The author claims that many of these solutions and advanced technologies, many which are made for specific physical disabilities, were not made after talking to people living with disabilities. Inventions were made to fix and bring disabled individuals up to par with the physical world. As a quick read and concise language, I found this to be an interesting read and I wholeheartedly agree with the idea that we need to make the world more useful to disabilities, not the other way around.

This is an excellent short book that packs a lot in of good introductory information in, but shares it accessibly. Because of how short and concise it is, it falls into one of those books I'd recommend to everyone and wish everyone would read- especially able-bodied and neurotypical people. It's a great intro to ableism and how technology and spaces are not designed for disabled people and if they are they are designed to "fix" disabled people and make them fit in as an able bodied person would, because.... Capitalism. It's also a great explanation of how being "able bodied" is temporary. Well worth your time to pick this one up.

For me personally, as a disabled and autistic person, I would have liked it to go more in-depth, but I accept it for what it is and does (short and concise books are also important to have available!) and it is a valuable installment of books on disability and ableism. I appreciate that the book is written so that the chapters can be read in any order.

Big takeaways:
- Disability is a social construct, not an individual "lack."
- Everyone, if they lives long enough, will experience some form of disability - and humans on the whole are going to be more disabled in the future, not less.
- Technology has long been framed as "solving" disability - but that's not necessarily what disabled people want. Co-design, participatory design, and representation are critical and not happening.

Thought-provoking and well-organized. It didn't present any ideas that are new to me, but I'm very involved in this world as a human-centered designer with occasional disabilities due to chronic illness.

Overall I wanted to enjoy this book. There were some great points that bring attention to limits of our technology and world in addressing the lived experience of individuals with disabilities. I got stuck on the autism chapter, and shared my concerns with autistic friends who had similar feelings. I understand the criticism of ABA, but have seen it be a lifesaving treatment for autistic individuals at risk of physical harm from their self-stimming or soothing behaviors. I do not feel this chapter was tackled with enoguh diligence.

Round up to 3.5 /5.

Against Technoableism is a thought provoking exploration into the concept of technoableism. I’d never heard of this before and someone who embraces technology but not ableism I was intrigued. As I understand it from the book, technoableism is when technology aims to reduce or eliminate disability. On the surface this doesn’t sound “too bad” but through reading the various chapters it’s clear that there numerous examples of where things went very badly. Examples from the past, present and potential situations in the future are discussed. To be honest, the author discussed so many things that it is overwhelming at times. I think to really grasp the message of the book readers needed to read the chapters multiple times and ensure they have ample opportunities to reflect and /or discuss what they have read with others. It is clear that the author is passionate about this topic and overall does a good job of presenting the topic to the reader.

this interesting little nugget of autotheory is a must-read for any scholar of disability studies, bodyminds, or transhumanist thought. shew seamlessly blends the experiences of disabled individuals, herself included, with accessible data and qualitative information to create a text that does remarkable work delineating the current move to cyborgism in the technologizing of disabled bodies, and does so in a way that is compelling and can evoke empathy from an abled reader. reading this as a disabled person, not only did i feel incredibly seen, but i feel shew articulates her arguments in a way that even non-scholars can understand, truly showing that disability studies is for everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free digital copy for me to review!

My number one complaint about this book was that I wish it had been longer! I think even one final chapter at the end might have helped to make the whole book feel a bit more complete.

I really enjoyed Shew’s voice and writing style; it was incredibly engaging and was very readable, especially for a non-fiction! I appreciated the nuance and care she put into her work and when she couldn’t speak from personal experience, had a wealth of sources to draw from.

I would pick up another book by her in a heartbeat!

This is such a well written, well researched book which approaches the topic of disability and ableism with insightfulness. There were sections that resonated very strongly with my personal experience, while there were others that really made me think from a different perspective. I think this is a type of book on disability that would really help anyone and everyone. I highly recommend this book, and will be gifting it to people in my life who interact with myself and my child. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Against Technoableism is a brilliant resource for equality campaigners and really thought-provoking, especially for those of us who are not currently disabled.

Ashley Shew focuses on the need to ask disabled people what they actually need to make their lives better. Some technology is a useful tool but can't replace improving accessibility for all. Rather than forcing disabled people to perform non-disability and endure pain or effort to fit in to the modern capitalist world we need to prioritise meeting the needs of the individual to participate in the lives they want to lead, through technology or not.

This was particularly clear in the section for autism and I really valued autistic people's insight into charities like Autism Speaks.

A recommended read.

As an engineer I read this book to better understand the effects of technology in the lives of disabled people. I knew some of the effects and some of the issues that existed because of research I had done in the past, but I was surprised at the depth of the chasm between disabled people and those building/creating the tools for them.

This manifesto to the tech world is a good wake up call to get over ableism, and also to find solutions that actually help disabled people (and not just the super wealthy ones). With most disabilities coming later in life, these are issues that will affect most of us at some point in our lives. By going against technoablism (using technology as a “solution” to disabilities, and in so doing not making society as a whole more accessible and disability friendly) , and focusing on structural change, the benefit can be more universal. By focusing on structural changes and not on requiring individuals to get “fixed”, the changes would be helpful for those who can’t file for disability, those who can’t afford the fancy technology, and those who have mild disabilities. This book explores structural changes in workplace environments, in medical infrastructure, in mobility devices, in assistive technology, and more. It addresses multiple kinds of disabilities and changes to make our society more accessible. It is excessively fast pace and jumps from one thing to the next, so it may be best to read it in increments so you actually have time to process what you’re reading.

This manifesto was a clear call to action for those of us in the technology field, to work with disabled people to find solutions that work for everyone and that benefit us all. The answer is to improve our access and our systems, not to “fix” people who are perfectly fine the way they are.

Shew reveals all of the problems with disability technology that most able-bodied people (myself included) would never consider. She traces the ways in which ableism is perpetuated by disability technologies: the exclusion of people with disabilities in their design; the focus on achieving ‘normalcy’ at the expense of comfort or support; the pressure put on people with disabilities to appear and behave as though they have been ‘fixed’; the inaccessibility of so much technology; and the harm that is often caused in the process of inventing and experimenting.

Their central point is that technology treats disability as an individual problem which requires personal change to fit in with the rest of society, rather than a social problem that requires society to adapt and become accessible for all. Her writing is illuminating and persuasive, advocating for a society and a future in which disability and people with disabilities are central rather than marginalised, and she manages to be both serious and funny. Such a short read, but such a full reading experience.

As soon as I saw the title of AGAINST TECHNOABLEISM (releasing Sept 19) I knew I had to read it! Thank you to the publisher for an early copy!

When I first started my Bookstagram I had no idea that it would inspire me to learn more about disability justice and introduce me to an entire community. I’ve been fortunate to read some amazing books in the past few years that have truly changed my life and changed the way I view the world. AGAINST TECHNOABLEISM is one of those life-changing books!

At only about 150 pages and only 6 chapters, AGAINST TECHNOABLEISM packs a surprising punch. It’s compulsively readable and tackles SO MANY topics with laser sharp precision. Each chapter was a revelation to me. The sections include but are not limited to disability identity and disability history from a disability-led, disability forward point of view, an examination and a rebuttal on disability tropes or myths, details about the author’s experience with physical disability and cyborg-life, neurodiversity and the roots of eugenics in our current medical and charity landscape, and a look at the accessible future.

This book is at its best when the author places other disabled scholars and writers in conversation with each other, building a web of interconnectivity, shared knowledge, and community. Just when I thought I had absorbed the best of this book, I read another gem and found something else to ponder. My ARC is (no exaggeration) 90% highlights right now.

Even though I’ve been studying disability justice on my own time for multiple years now, I still had NO IDEA about so many things in this book like the connection between factory and farm life with our cultural conception of disability, the continued legacy of eugenics, and the horrific realities of so-called “therapies” for neurodivergent people.

The chapter on neurodiversity has especially stuck with me to the point where I can’t get it out of my head but every page of this book has immense value for disabled and non-disabled people alike. Even though it discusses deep subjects, it’s so well-written that it never feels like a chore to read.

I’ve already preordered a copy of this book for every medical professional or aspiring student in my life because you all NEED to read it. It is simply life-changing and the medical field in particular needs a paradigm shift ASAP to center the experiences, knowledge, and worth of disabled people. Please, please go pick up a copy of this book for yourself and start the change!

Against Technoableism is an accessible and concise nonfiction read for those looking to expand their understanding of disability justice and ableism, as well as technoableism - a type of ableism invested in the power of technology to “cure” - or eliminate - disability.

I appreciate Ashley Shew’s commitment to including a variety of disabilities, neurodivergence and chronic illness, as well as how those disabilities intersect with race, gender, sexuality, etc.

I think this is a great, informative book that offers something for everyone regardless of their familiarity with disability justice. I enjoyed reading it and felt smarter once I finished.

Thanks WW Norton & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

*4.5
Against Technoableism is a fantastic read for anyone who wants a good introduction to ableism as well as how society sees technology as a way to "fix" disabilities. I really enjoyed Ashley Shew's straightforwardness but I do wish the book had slowed down a bit with its pacing.

Against Technoableism is a concise and straightforward nonfiction book about how our society expects technology to fix and erase disability, to the detriment of the disabled community.

I really enjoyed how Ashley Shew made me step out of my comfort zone and learn about areas of ableism that aren’t commonly discussed in the mainstream media. She spends time discussing neurodivergence, prosthetics, and even how uniquely suitable disabled people are for space travel. I learned so much and challenged so many internalized ableist ideas I hadn’t explored.

This is a quick and well organized read that I highly recommend to any reader.

An absolutely phenomenal read. It is such a great peice on abelism and how it relates to the world. My favorite part was absolutely the section on the future with disability especially in space. I think this is a great resource for people to dip a toe into learning about diability justice. But even as someone disabled I think the emphasis the author puts on intersectionality and cross disability made it still very very useful not only as a resource itself but as well all of the other pieces and communities that I learned about here and can dive more into later. I also would not mind reading more from this author.

This book is an excellent introduction to disability justice as a whole with a bit of a deep dive on technoableism. It's fairly short and concise while still being full of information.

One thing that the author expressed over and over again is that tech for disabled people needs to have input from disabled people along every step of the way. The book really helps express why that needs to be and gives some very good examples of what happens when the disability community is not consulted about the things they themselves will use. It also talks about access to tech for disabled people, barriers to that (including financial barriers), and how it doesn't really matter what tech we have if we can't access it.

As someone who is disabled myself, a lot of the personal experiences conveyed in this book rang true for me. This is the kind of book I want to hand to people who know me and say, "You need to read this so you can start understanding." The book is funny and insightful while conveying information that non-disabled people might not have.

5/5 Stars

Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this title.