Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T17:14:19.677Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Combating Social Exclusion Faced by Disabled People in the Wage Labour Market in Hong Kong

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 August 2017

Ruby C. M. Chau ,
Sam W. K. Yu  and
Kathy Boxall
Ruby C. M. Chau
Affiliation:
Department of Sociological Studies, The University of Sheffield, UK E-mail: [email protected]
Sam W. K. Yu
Affiliation:
Department of Social Work, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong E-mail: [email protected]
Kathy Boxall
Affiliation:
Faculty of Regional Professional Studies, Edith Cowan University, Australia E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This article contributes to the search for suitable approaches to combat social exclusion faced by disabled people in capitalist wage labour markets. Referring to policy and service examples in Hong Kong, it reviews four social exclusion approaches – the Moral Underclass (MUD), Social Integrationist (SID), Redistributive (RED) and Collective Production (COP) approaches. These approaches are explored in relation to three key issues: (1) the diverse preferences of disabled people; (2) the myth of infeasibility regarding unconventional approaches and (3) the defects of the medical model of disability. The article argues that the MUD and SID approaches are more associated with the medical model of disability and emphasise individual changes. The RED and COP approaches contain more features of the social model of disability and are in favour of social and structural changes. The COP approach stresses the diverse preferences of disabled people and supports innovative services to combat social exclusion.

Keywords

Medical modelsocial modelsocial exclusiondisabled peoplelabour market
Type
Articles
Information
Social Policy and Society , Volume 17 , Issue 4 , October 2018 , pp. 547 - 561
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abberley, P. (1997) ‘The limits of classical social theory in the analysis and transformation of disablement – (Can this really be the end: to be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues again?)’, in Barton, L. and Oliver, M. (eds.), Disability Studies: Past, Present and Future, Leeds: The Disability Press, 25–44.Google Scholar
Abberley, P. (1999) ‘The significance of work for the citizenship of disabled people’, Paper presented at University College Dublin, 14 April, http://www.disability-studies.leeds.ac.uk/files/library/Abberley-sigofwork.pdf [accessed 20.03.2014].Google Scholar
Apple Daily (2010) ‘Assessment mechanism exists loophole which deprives disable people’ (in Chinese), 17 July, http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/news/art/20100717/14249519, [accessed 20.03.2014].Google Scholar
Barnes, C. and Mercer, G. (2003) Disability, Cambridge: Polity Press.Google Scholar
Barnes, C. and Mercer, G. (2005) ‘Disability, work and welfare: challenging the social exclusion of disabled people’, Work, Employment and Society, 19, 3, 527–45.Google Scholar
Burchardt, T. (2003) Being and Becoming: Social Exclusion and the Onset of Disability, London: ESRC Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion London School of Economics, http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/28310/1/CASEreport21.pdf [accessed 10.12.2016].Google Scholar
Castel, R. (2000) ‘The roads to disaffiliation: insecure work and vulnerable relationships’, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 24, 3, 510–35.Google Scholar
Chau, C. M. (2009) ‘Socialism and social dimension of work – employment policies on disabled groups in China’, The Hong Kong Journal of Social Work, 43, 1, 19–29.Google Scholar
Chau, C. M. and Yu, W. K. (2002) ‘Coping with social exclusion: experiences of Chinese women in three societies’, Asian Women, 14, 103–27.Google Scholar
Cheung, C. H. (2008) ‘Minimum wage: an alternative standard towards disabled person’ (in Chinese), Mingpao, 8 October.Google Scholar
Corker, M. and French, S. (1999) ‘Reclaiming discourse in disability studies’, in Corker, M. and French, S. (eds.), Disability Discourse, Buckingham: Open University Press, 1–12.Google Scholar
Corker, M. and Shakespeare, T. (2002) (eds.) Disability/Postmodernity, London, Continuum.Google Scholar
Crow, L. (1992) ‘Renewing the social model of disability’, Coalition, 5–9.Google Scholar
Docherty, D., Hughes, R., Phillips, P., Corbett, D., Regan, B., Barber, A., Adams, M., Boxall, K., Kaplan, I. and Izzidien, S. (2010) ‘This is what we think’, in Davis, L. J. (ed.), The Disability Studies Reader, 3rd edn, New York and London: Routledge, 432–40.Google Scholar
Esping-Andersen, G. (1990) The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, London: Polity.Google Scholar
European Commission (1994a) European Social Policy: A Way Forward for the Union. White Paper, Commission of the European Communities, Brussels, 27 July.Google Scholar
European Commission (1994b) Growth, Competitiveness, Employment: The Challenges and Ways Forward into the 21st Century, White Paper, Bulletin of the European Communities, Supplement 6/93, 5 December.Google Scholar
Goodley, D. (2011) Disability Studies: An Interdisciplinary Introduction, London: Sage.Google Scholar
Grint, K. (1998) The Sociology of Work: An Introduction, 2nd edn, Cambridge: Polity Press.Google Scholar
Grover, C. (2014) ‘Atos Healthcare withdraws from the Work Capability Assessment: a comment’, Disability and Society, 29, 8, 1324–28.Google Scholar
Ho, W. C. (2014) ‘A reasonable deprivation? An analysis between disabled persons and minimum wage’, in Yu, W. K., So, Y. C., Chung, C. Y., Law, S. F. and Chan, K. K. (eds.), Practical Training Handbook for Social Work (in Chinese), Hong Kong: Hong Kong Baptist University Printing Section, 53–9.Google Scholar
Hong Kong Council of Social Services (HKCSS) (2013) ‘Raise wage of disabled persons through review assessment system’ (in Chinese), http://www.hkcss.org.hk/e/cont_detail.asp?type_id=9&content_id=442 [accessed 08.12.2016].Google Scholar
Hong Kong SAR Government (HKSAR) (2013) ‘Hong Kong Poverty Situation Report on Disability 2013’, http://www.povertyrelief.gov.hk/eng/pdf/Hong_Kong_Poverty_Situation_Report_on_Disability_2013(E).pdf [accessed 08.12. 2016].Google Scholar
Hong Kong SAR Government (HKSAR) (2014) Press release, LCQ7: ‘Employment of persons with disabilities’, http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201403/26/P201403260664.htm [accessed 08.12.2016].Google Scholar
Hong Kong SAR Government (HKSAR) (2015) Retirement Protection Forging Ahead (Consultation paper), December, http://www.rp.gov.hk/en/index.php [accessed 08.12.2016].Google Scholar
Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation (2007) ‘Proposal on setting special arrangement for disabled persons under the minimum wage policy’ (in Chinese), LegCo paper no. CB(21)1580/06-07(06), http://www.legco.gov.hk [accessed 13.03. 2014].Google Scholar
Hong Kong Women Workers’ Association (HKWWA) (2016) ‘Trade Union Cooperative Movement’ (in Chinese), http://www.hkwwa.org.hk/coop/ [accessed 10.12. 2016].Google Scholar
Hughes, B. and Paterson, K. (1997) ‘The social model of disability and the disappearing body: towards a sociology of impairment’, Disability and Society, 12, 3, 325–40.Google Scholar
Legislative Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (LegCo) (2008) ‘The Hong Kong Federation of the Blind: Standpoint towards the matter of employment of persons with disability’ (in Chinese), LegCo paper no. CB(2)964/07-08(08), http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr04-05/chinese/hc/sub_com/hs52/papers/hs520128cb2-964-4-c.pdf [accessed 08.12. 2016].Google Scholar
Legislative Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (LegCo) (2010) ‘Guidelines on statutory minimum wage for employers and employees’, LegCo paper no. CB(2)533/10-11(06), http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr10-11/english/panels/mp/papers/mp1216cb2-533-6-e.pdf [accessed at 13.03. 2014].Google Scholar
Legislative Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (LegCo) (2014) ‘Results of review of the special arrangement for employees with disabilities under the statutory minimum wage regime’, LegCo paper no. CB(2)441/14-15(05), http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr14-15/english/panels/mp/papers/mp20141216cb2-441-5-e.pdf [accessed 02.02 2015].Google Scholar
Legislative Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (LegCo) (2015) ‘Poverty situation of persons with disabilities’, LegCo paper no. CB(2)869/14-15(01), http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr12-13/english/hc/sub_com/hs51/papers/hs510224cb2-869-1-e.pdf [accessed 08.12.2016].Google Scholar
Levitas, R. (1996) ‘The concept of social exclusion and the New Durkheimian Hegemony’, Critical Social Policy, 16, 46, 5–20.Google Scholar
Levitas, R. (1998) The Inclusive Society? Social Exclusion and New Labour, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Levitas, R. (2005) The Inclusive Society and New Labour, 2nd edn, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Levitas, R., Pantazis, C., Fahmy, E., Gordon, D., Lloyd, E. and Patsios, D. (2007) The Multi-Dimensional Analysis of Social Exclusion, Project Report, Bristol: University of Bristol.Google Scholar
Lyons, K. and Huegler, N. (2012) ‘Social exclusion and inclusion’, in Healy, L. M. and Link, R. J. (eds.), Handbook of International Social Work: Human Rights, Development, and the Global Profession, New York: Oxford University Press, 37–43.Google Scholar
Macdonald, S. J. (2009) ‘Windows of reflection: conceptualising dyslexia using the social model of disability’, Dyslexia, 15, 347–62.Google Scholar
Meekosha, H. and Shuttleworth, R. (2009) ‘What's so 'critical' about critical disability studies?’, Australian Journal of Human Rights, 15, 1, 47–75.Google Scholar
Morris, J. (1996) Encounters with Strangers: Feminism and Disability, London: Women's Press.Google Scholar
Murray, C. (1984) Losing Ground: American Social Policy 1950–1980, New York: Basic Books.Google Scholar
Oliver, M. (1990) The Politics of Disablement, Basingstoke: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Oliver, M. (1996) Understanding Disability: From Theory to Practice, New York: St. Martin's Press.Google Scholar
Oliver, M. and Barnes, C. (2012) The New Politics of Disablement, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Oxfam (2016) ‘Increasing income gap between the rich and the poor household’ (in Chinese), http://news.now.com/home/local/player?newsId=196359 [accessed 08.12.2016].Google Scholar
Rehabilitation Alliance Hong Kong (2009) ‘Proposal on special arrangement for persons with disabilities under the Statutory Minimum Wage Policy’ (in Chinese), LegCo paper no. CB(2)928/08-09(01), http://www.legco.gov.hk [accessed 23.03. 2014].Google Scholar
Roulstone, A. (2000) ‘Disability, dependency and the new deal for disabled people, Disability and Society, 15, 3, 427–45.Google Scholar
Shakespeare, T. (2013) Disability Rights and Wrongs Revisited, London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Social Welfare Department (2016a) ‘Social security allowance scheme’, http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_ssallowance/ [accessed 08.12. 2016].Google Scholar
Social Welfare Department (2016b) ‘Comprehensive social security assistance (CSSA) scheme’, http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_comprehens/ [accessed 08.12.2016].Google Scholar
Taylor, R. E. (2004) ‘Extending conceptual boundaries: work, voluntary work and employment’, Work, Employment and Society, 18, 1, 29–49.Google Scholar
Terzi, L. (2004) ‘The social model of disability: a philosophical critique’, Journal of Applied Philosophy, 21, 2, 141–57.Google Scholar
The Forthright Caucus (2009) ‘Views on minimum wage and employment difficulty of disabled people’ (in Chinese), LegCo paper no. CB(2)2571/08-09(64), http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr08-09/chinese/bc/bc61/papers/bc611007cb2-2571-64-c.pdf [accessed at 13.03.2014].Google Scholar
The Forthright Caucus (2014) ‘Disabled people need retirement protection’ (in Chinese), http://www.inmediahk.net/node/1025592 [accessed at 08.12.2016].Google Scholar
Thomas, C. (2004) ‘How is disability understood? An examination of sociological approaches’, Disability and Society, 19, 6, 569–83.Google Scholar
Thomas, C. (2007) Sociologies of Disability and Illness: Contested Ideas in Disability Studies and Medical Sociology, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Townsend, P. (1997) ‘Redistribution: the strategic alternative to privatisation’, in Walker, A. and Walker, C. (eds.), Britain Divided: The Growing Truth of Social Exclusion in the 1980s and 1990s, London: CPAG, 263–78.Google Scholar
Walker, A. (1997) ‘Introduction: the strategy of inequality’, in Walker, A. and Walker, C. (eds.), Britain Divided: The Growing Truth of Social Exclusion in the 1980s and 1990s, London: CPAG, 1–13.Google Scholar
Yu, W. K. (1996) ‘The Nature of Social Services in Hong Kong’, International Social Work, 39, 4, 411–29.Google Scholar
Yu, W. K. (2008) ‘The ideological orientation of the New Dawn Project’, The Hong Kong Journal of Social Work, 42, 1/2, 105–17.Google Scholar
Yu, W. K. and Chung, W. (2014) A Framework for Writing the Manual for Community Organization (Chinese), unpublished.Google Scholar