ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author outlines what he believe to be the key issues for a robust sociological understanding of disability in sport, with specific reference to the Paralympic Games. Disabled activists and theorists make the distinction between impairment, an acquired or born trait, and disability, the wider impact of the social context of these impairments; the sociological literature on Paralympic sport has increasingly adopted this approach. The author discusses the field of disability studies before exploring research into the specific area of Paralympic sport. When the phrase ‘sport for the disabled’ is used instead of ‘disability sport’, it becomes clear that sporting provision for the disabled is part of what might be labelled a ‘disability industry’. If sport, and by extension society, is going to become more inclusive, ‘it is necessary for existing economic, social and political institutions to be challenged and modified.
