出版社：Forum Behinderung und Internationale Entwicklung
摘要：Little is known about the social interpretations and perceptions of disabilities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Yet
this interpretation influences the way that people seek health as well as the way in which a person with disabilities
and family members will be treated or stigmatised by others. This paper attempts to address this gap. It is based
on a study conducted between 2005 and 2007, which inquired into the social representations of disability within
KwaZulu-Natal. The study used a grounded theory approach and a mixture of purposive and snowball sampling.
Twenty-five participants who were either disabled themselves or who worked with people with disabilities were included
in the study. The results indicate that people explain disability through a variety of concepts based on the
understanding of natural causes or supernatural powers. In addition the concepts of vulnerability and protection
are believed to influence the likelihood of a person developing a disability
