As we’re revisiting the older shelves in the Original Research Collection, we continue to run across some gems that deserve a second or third look. These are books, reports, guides, and manuals that have had a strong effect on disability culture, rehabilitation methodologies, or policy development. Today we scanned and archived The Philosophical Foundation for the Independent Living Movement. This extended essay was written by Margaret Nosek, Yayoi Narita, and Justin and Yoshiko Dart. Justin Dart was co-founder of the American Association of People with Disabilties and a seminal figure in the disability rights and independent living movements. Margaret Nosek established the Center for Research on Women with Disabilities at Baylor College of Medicine.

Written in 1982, the essay discusses past, present, and future of independent living; the place of people with disabilities in an evolving society; the responsibility of the individual and the society; and quality of life. It is a thoughtful look at a movement that is about to become much stronger.

In this essay we will attempt to offer brief focuses on some of the basic problems and goals of that complex, discordant unity of passion for human dignity which is formed by the various individuals and organizations of the independent living and disability rights movement–and to suggest concept and activity directions for the 1980s and 90s.

The full publication is available at http://www.naric.com/research/record.cfm?search=2&type=all&criteria=o06989&phrase=no&rec=1213