Disability organizations as empowering settings: Challenging stigmatization, promoting emancipation

This study investigated how a local disability organization in Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia, has functioned as an empowering setting for its members. This article discusses, in particular, the context specific features that have enabled members of this organization to resist the pervasive stigmatization commonly imposed upon people with disabilities. The research data was collected through interviews with 18 members of the organization and analyzed using the method of constructivist grounded theory. The findings suggest that this organization exists as an empowering setting because it functions as a mindset changer, an alternative resource center, and fosters supportive and courageous allies. Through this empowerment, members can challenge the normalized stigmatization and promote more emancipatory identities, particularly in a rural context where some socio-cultural aspects may further complicate the disadvantages of people with disabilities. Implications for future research and disability interventions are discussed.