ABSTRACT
Drawing upon a human rights approach to disability studies, we investigate the complex workings of how individuals access basic societal structures. This research agenda is situated in a disability rights movement which has built a strong case around human rights in which the politicization of social and physical space has been created through analysis of dominant, ableist values, and practices. Persons with disabilities are often prevented from participating in cultural and leisure activities in the realm of sport by cultural, social and political constraints. Barriers include the need for assistance, inaccessible facilities and transportation, the need for specialized equipment and community attitudinal misperceptions about disability. A disability studies lens allowed us to interrogate the possibility of major sporting events as opportunities to address structural constraints through implementation of sustainable strategies. This chapter then outlines the methodological approach used in the book to examine the potential of events for social change.
