Introduction

In this introductory chapter, Carlson and Murray introduce the phrase “we are all disabled” as the catalyst for this collection of essays, and briefly discuss how and why it appears in a variety of contexts. Given evidence of the under-representation of people with disabilities and their voices in academia and higher education, the chapters in this book from a diverse array of scholars make an important contribution to expanding the field of disability scholarship. By analyzing and challenging the claim “we are all disabled” from their unique disciplinary perspectives, the authors address the complex ways in which disability is defined, represented, and experienced.