Against Technoableism

By focusing on disability as an individual problem, not a social one, abled people often focus on disability technologies as the "solution" to eliminate the disability altogether. But what do disabled people think? This insightful (and compact) overview of disability, ableism, and the role of tech in the lives of disabled people is a real eye-opener. Though many disabled people may rely on tech to help them live their lives, they take a different approach to the tech, aware of the many unresolved concerns about those technologies and learning to piece together different types of technology appropriate to different needs and situations in their lives.

This book really helps to unpack the various ways ableism prevents us from seeing how tech might or might not be beneficial to disabled people, and it stresses the point that the experts on disability are the people who experience it -- and that we need to listen to the voices of disabled people to address the ways they still feel left out of society today.

An excellent addition to the growing body of work centering disabled voices and perspectives. 5 stars.

Thank you, W. W. Norton and Company and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Against Technoableism is a quick book balancing personal experiences with extensive research on the topic of disability, particularly the social model of disability. This book will deepen your understanding of what the disabled community is actually looking for in regards to their own access—something that is often ignored, as nondisabled tech creators search for a “cure” instead, without consulting the very people they seek to help.

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

I work in the brain injury community so this topic really interested me. So many times we have different ways for people to cope with their injury, and most of the time it involves some sort of technology- rides through uber, using specific apps, etc. This was the first time I heard the term "technoableism" but is definitely an issue that needs to be addressed as we will be seeing bigger and bigger gaps between those well versed in technology, and those that are not, and therefore left behind.

This is a great non-fiction read that not only discusses "technoableism" but also gives an approachable introduction to a lot of common theory around disability justice. This was an excellent, quick, and common sense read that would be great for everyone to pick up. It really made me think. I especially appreciated the discussion about the common "tropes" around disability, the inquiry into terminology and language, and the chapter on neurodivergence and neurodiversity (and what the difference is). The writing is clear, engaging, and thought-provoking. I also think that the cover is eye-catching and fun-looking, conveying that this isn't a stuffy, inaccessible academic work. It hits the balance between a professional and knowledgeable author, with an approachable writing style. The concepts come across clearly, even if you aren't already familiar with disability theory. Truly a must-read. I will be recommending this to the purchaser of adult non-fiction at my library.

Essential reading for anyone who interacts with the disabled community. And, spoiler alert for anyone who thinks otherwise, that means everyone. Shew's natural humor and lightheartedness have the spoon full of sugar impact to aid in absorbing huge foundational, intellectual, and emotional knowledge.

As an "invisibly" disabled person myself, this book resonates on the threads of imposter syndrome that plague my access of resources. It digs into the parts of my soul cluttered with the debris of person first language and HR executives telling our company that we are to say "differently abled" now.
But there is so much value in the research for this book for readers not yet disabled and disabled alike, as the first-person experiences of those with a wide array of disabilities are given platform and amplification.

Was provided ARC copy in exchange for honest review.

This book is really important. It's short and easily digestible, which I imagine would be great for someone just getting into disability justice; but its length has no bearing on its density or the wealth of information held within its pages. While far from an expert, I'm also certainly not a newcomer to a lot of the terms and concepts discussed in this book, but I still learned a lot (the chapter on autism/neurodivergence is really wide-reaching and dense, and the final chapter on disabled people in the future was fascinating) and had tons to think about. Certain parts of this book can be really hard to get through (on purpose)—disability history is fraught with abuse and trauma, and discussions of that history are fundamental to understanding disability technology as it exists today and could exist tomorrow. It's worth it, though, to gain a deeper understanding of the past, present, and future of disability tech and disability justice, and I absolutely recommend this book for anyone with even a passing interest in the subject.