Abstract
Throughout the Paralympic Games of 2012, the host nation, Great Britain, was praised for its liberal attitudes and for embracing disability more specifically. This chapter aims to move beyond this one-sided representation to examine the Paralympic Games from multiple positions highlighting the heterogeneity of perceptions that exist. It draws on the jubilant portrayal of the 2012 Games in the media; the positive rhetoric of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC); and, the contrasting views of disability activists. Consequently, this chapter presents a balanced view of the impact of the Paralympic Games that is set in contrast with an existing, yet overly positive academic narrative.
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© 2015 Stuart Braye, Kevin Dixon and Tom Gibbons
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Braye, S., Dixon, K., Gibbons, T. (2015). The 2012 Paralympics and Perceptions of Disability in the UK. In: Dixon, K., Gibbons, T. (eds) The Impact of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Diminishing Contrasts, Increasing Varieties. Palgrave Pivot, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137405081_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137405081_2
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