Rendering the invisible visible

Research to date has largely focused on individual conditions such as autism, intellectual disability, dementia, and mental disorders rather than the shared experiences of hidden disabilities. One major drawback is that these conditions remain separated in most area of both the medical and the social practices that adversely affects people living with the conditions. This thesis argues that the binary oppositions between nature/culture, the medical/social models of disability continue to reinforce the fragmentation of services, the proliferation of labels and the perception that hidden disabilities are independent and definite. The central argument of this thesis is that hidden disabilities have never been a stable, fixed and ordered reality but they are repeatedly perFormed, disSolved and reProduced in the complex interactions of multiple human and non-human actors within webs of connections. Networks temporarily stabilise, and labels help create the impression that hidden disabilities are definite and permanent states. Hidden disabilities have always been seen as a reflection of physical disabilities in the mirror. Therefore, it is significant to investigate hidden disabilities by the material-semiotic approach of Actor-Network-Theory to attempt to transform the concept of hidden disabilities and formulate a working model. The research will also show, through case studies of various conditions, that people living with hidden cognitive differences do not need reasonable adjustments because they are disabled. They need reasonable adjustments to prevent them from becoming disabled. This can lead to the development of novel approaches in working with complexities to raise awareness, strengthen self-advocacy and influence policies.