Disability and neoliberal state formations

In this chapter we examine the constitutive mechanisms that seek to sustain hegemonic constructions of disability. With the emergence of the neoliberal nation state, new meanings of disability emerge. Neoliberalism, as ideology, political economy and state formation, is an inimitable ‘theory of political economic practices’ (Harvey 2005: 2), coupled with a unique regime of state regulating practices (Biyanwila 2010: 66). Key areas of concern include the restructuring of social rights with emergent authoritarian social policies, the remapping of disability labour-market programming and the rise of the informal ‘care economy’ and ideologies of ‘care’. These areas all fall under neoliberal welfare state restructuring in line with its ideological commitment to workfare, re-regulating the welfare/labour market nexus, co-opting some disabled bodies as ‘work able’, while re-positioning others as ‘truly deserving of state welfare’. We draw upon the case of Australia to exemplify our arguments and to demonstrate the radical implications for disabled people’s well-being with the rise of neoliberalism as political hegemony. We specifically include an analysis that examines gender difference in the experience of workfare