Authored by visually impaired rights advocate Emre Taşgın, “Disability, Posthumanism, and Turkey” approaches disability through historical, theoretical, and social dimensions while offering a posthumanist perspective that places human–machine–nature relations at its center.
Developed from the author’s master’s thesis, the book challenges conventional approaches to disability and opens a discussion on whether an egalitarian and inclusive social order is possible. Drawing on Bertolt Brecht’s famous “seesaw” metaphor, Taşgın emphasizes that the struggle for disability rights is not merely an effort to rise within a hierarchy, but a pursuit of an equal order of life for all.
Historical traces and models of disability
The book examines the historical traces of disability from Antiquity to the present, differences between medical and social models, human rights conventions, and legal regulations in Turkey. It also explores the relationship between humanism, transhumanism, and posthumanism, offering a new paradigm for disability studies.
According to Taşgın, transhumanism advocates the creation of a “perfect” human through technology, while posthumanism situates humans on an equal plane with all living beings in nature. This perspective, drawing from feminism, animal studies, and environmental movements, rejects anthropocentric hierarchies. Taşgın highlights that posthumanism offers a new framework for disability studies and notes that this is the first work in Turkish literature focusing on the intersection of disability and posthumanism. He states: “This book seeks to carry the inclusiveness of posthumanism into the field of disability, creating a foundation for policies that move beyond othering.”
Technology and Artificial Intelligence: Opportunity or threat?
Taşgın also discusses the opportunities and threats posed by technology for persons with disabilities. While artificial intelligence and assistive technologies are critical for independent living, he warns that unequal access could create new divides.
The book stresses that AI applications can enhance the independence of persons with disabilities in education, employment, and daily life, but they must be developed in line with human rights principles and the concept of universal design.
Addressing the impact of crisis periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the February 6, 2023 earthquakes on disability rights, the book argues that a posthumanist approach can help build common ground for policies that transcend othering and foster an inclusive future.