ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the overall patterns in the Active Citizenship of persons with disabilities in the nine DISCIT countries. The nine DISCIT countries are Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The chapter adopts a multidimensional concept of Active Citizenship, focusing on three dimensions: security, autonomy, and influence. It focuses on structuration theory and presents the main external structures or factors and how their impact varied between persons with visual, mobility, intellectual and psychosocial disabilities. The chapter also adopts the distinction between three types of external factors: meta-political factors, factors related to policy design and institutions, and factors related to take-up and use of disability-related policy measures. It discusses the relationship between changes in external and internal structures and identifies some implications of findings for European disability policy. The chapter examines a number of victories and achievements by organisations of persons with disabilities.
