Núcleo Disca

Disability and citizenship

Author Archives: Comunicaciones Núcleo DISCA

  3. What does it mean to grow up with a mother or father with a disability?

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    This question is often answered from a perspective of suspicion or prejudice, assuming that having a parent with a disability is a burden and a disproportionate responsibility for their sons or daughters.

    However, our research experience shows that first-person accounts from the children of people with disabilities offer a different perspective, one that focuses on care relationships based on autonomy and reciprocity.

    For these children, having a parent with a disability is simply a fact of their lives, like any other—not a tragedy or a burden. Many of them even emphasize that having a mother or father with a disability has positive effects on their lives.

    In a study conducted in Chile between 2022 and 2024, children and adolescents shared their family experiences with us. In their testimonies, disability does not occupy a central place, nor is it perceived as a disadvantage. On the contrary, all describe their mothers and fathers as active, responsible, and loving individuals.

    Most of them highlight that their families are not different from others because of the presence of disability; they do recognize a difference, but it stems from the emotional closeness they experience in their relationships.

    These sons and daughters explain that, while they do help with certain tasks related to their parent’s disability—such as guiding a blind parent on the street or supporting communication for a deaf mother—these actions are occasional and do not replace the constant care that their parents provide for them.

    In this sense, the interviewed children and adolescents draw a clear distinction between providing specific, occasional support and assuming caregiving responsibilities that do not belong to them. “My mom takes care of me, and I help her when she needs it,” explained one of the teenage participants.

    Despite their acceptance of disability at home, these children note that social perceptions of disability have a strong influence on their lives, even more so than the disability itself. They recount experiences of discrimination, discomfort, or ignorance in public spaces, educational settings, and healthcare services, which cause them frustration and discomfort.

    To counter this, they often take on an educational role in these situations, raising awareness and deconstructing stereotypes. They explain the use of assistive devices or share their experiences of living daily with a mother or father with a disability. In this way, they help to dismantle myths and prejudices in educational, healthcare, and family contexts.

    Listening to children has allowed us to see that there is a relationship of mutual, but not equivalent, care. For them, the care their parents provide is constant, broad, and consistent. As a society, the best way to respond to these experiences is by recognizing these families in their diversity and ensuring that their stories are treated with dignity.

     

  4. Student Meeting: Challenges of Studying Disability in Social Sciences

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    We invite you to a space for dialogue and reflection on the research conducted at the Núcleo Milenio DISCA. Undergraduate and postgraduate students will present the main findings and conclusions of their theses, as well as the methodological, theoretical, and practical challenges they faced when researching disability.

    This activity is open to students from various universities interested in disability and social science topics.

    Register through the form.

  7. First DISCA Student Meeting

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    On April 8th, the first DISCA Student Meeting was held at the Diego Portales University in Santiago, Chile. The activity brought together undergraduate, masters and doctoral students involved in research within the DISCA Millennium Nucleus, with the aim of sharing topics of interest, getting to know each other and thinking about collaborative initiatives to support each other in the design, development and dissemination of their research.

    The meeting, held in a hybrid format, was attended by 11 students (6 on-site and 5 online), who shared their research motivations and reflected together on possible dissemination actions. The director of the Nucleus, Florencia Herrera, welcomed the group and contextualized the current state of the project, which is in its third year of operation.

    During the day, several ideas emerged to make visible the work that each student is developing. As a first step, a survey will be sent out to gather opinions and prioritize the proposals with the greatest support. In addition, a second meeting is planned in a month’s time, with a view to further strengthening the support networks among DISCA students.

  8. Actitudes frente a la maternidad y la preservación de la fertilidad en mujeres universitarias: Un estudio transversal [Attitudes Toward Motherhood and Fertility Preservation Among University Women: A Cross-Sectional Study]

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    Points of interest:

    • In Chile, fewer and fewer children are being born. In 1962, women had an average of 5 children. Today, that number has dropped to just over 1 child per woman.
    • This research aims to understand how university women see their reproductive future, their intention to become mothers, and their willingness to preserve their fertility by freezing their eggs.
    • A self-administered and semi-structured survey was conducted with 1,020 students from Universidad Diego Portales in Santiago. The average age was 21 years. Most of the women believe that before becoming mothers, they should finish their studies, have a stable job, and be able to support themselves with their own income.
    • For many university women, becoming a mother is not a current priority. They think of motherhood as something that could happen later, when they feel more prepared. Also, only a small group believes it is necessary to have a partner or be married to have children.
    • Teen pregnancies have also decreased, which is related to better access to contraceptives and better sex education. This has given women more freedom to decide about motherhood.
    • The study highlights the need for public policies on reproduction and family planning that are adapted to the new realities and priorities of Chilean women.

     

    Notes:

    • The following summary was prepared by Núcleo Milenio DISCA and is based exclusively on the original publication. Therefore, it should not be used for citations or references.
    • This article was originally published in Spanish.

  9. Accesibilidad en el hábitat residencial: Recomendaciones de Diseño [Accessibility in Residential Habitat: Design Recommendations]

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    This text aims to contribute, from a scientific research perspective, to the accessible architectural design of residential habitats. It presents design recommendations at the different territorial scales studied: housing, housing complexes, and neighborhoods. These recommendations are intended for use by residents, construction companies, and agents involved in the design and implementation of public policies in the housing and urban fields. The contributions of Corporación Accesible and SERVIU are acknowledged through their manuals and guidelines on this subject.

    This book is intended for professionals and agents involved in the design and production of habitat: architects, urban planners, builders, sponsoring entities, and policymakers in the housing and urban sectors. It is also aimed at students in related fields, educators engaged with these topics, and people with different disabilities and their families.

    Notes:

    • This book is not open-access and is only available for purchase through Editorial Universitaria.
    • This book was published in Spanish.